Everyone enjoys a beautiful, green lawn. However, lawns can create large amounts of grass cuttings which need to be disposed of. A great way to make good use of your Zoysia clippings that is both easy and environmentally friendly is creating a compost bin in your yard. A few simple steps can help your compost bin be productive, and prevent it from turning into a slimy problem that some may associate with composting.
Tips for Composting
– Mix grass cuttings with a tough more fibrous material like hedge clippings, wood chips, and leaves. The layers of grass clippings and brown material should be alternated. This balances the nitrogen level and provides air pockets that assist the breakdown process.
– Check the moisture of the compost. The material should be like a wrung out sponge. If the compost is too wet, add dry leafy material. If the compost is too dry, add water and thoroughly mix it in.
– Aerate the compost bin occasionally. Using a garden fork, turn the compost to aid the composting process. Mix the materials to avoid packing, and to increase the air pockets.
– If you have recently applied chemicals or herbicides to your lawn, wail until the rain has washed them clean before you add them to your compost pile.
– Add lime to your compost. This will jump-start the decomposition process and prevent your pile from developing an unpleasant odor.
If all goes well, you will have a nice layer of compost at the bottom of your bin. Find out more about composting, or read more about maintaining your Zoysia lawn the right way.