UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail: edayen@ufl.edu 

May 16 , 2006

Feature Article - for immediate release.

Recycling Yard Waste 

This is another in a series of articles written about the new area urban conservation program called Florida Yards & Neighborhoods. 

Any time you work in your yard you are probably creating recyclable yard waste that you can return to our central Florida sandy soils.  Compost or mulch as much of your yard waste as possible to reduce the amount of solid waste to be hauled away.  Leaves, pine needles and small pruning cuttings may be used as mulch or may be tossed into a compost pile.

Leave your grass clippings on the lawn to decompose and return nitrogen to the soil, reducing fertilizer needs.  The rule of thumb is to never remove more than a third of an individual leaf blade at one time.  For those procrastinators who do not mow regularly, mulching mowers cut grass into smaller pieces, speeding decomposition.  St. Augustinegrass and Bahiagrass should be cut at a minimum height of 3 to 4 inches to maintain a healthy lawn. 

Fine pruned tree and shrub material makes great mulch.  For correct pruning of shrubs and trees try to follow these guidelines:  Remove all dead, diseased or injured branches.  Remove branches that cross or touch each other and any that look out of place.  If a shrub is too tall, heading and thinning may both be necessary.  To maintain a neat informal shrub with a natural shape, cut each branch individually to different lengths with a hand pruner.  Also, it is a good idea to dip shears and saws in a weak alcohol (one part alcohol to nine parts water) solution to prevent spreading disease between plants. 

Compost is a great way to add nutrients to your soil, as well as improving soil structure, texture and aeration.  It also increases the water holding capacity.  A compost pile needs adequate moisture, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon sources to generate the right conditions for decomposition.  Bins are not necessary, but they keep piles neat, retain heat and moisture and prevent complaints from neighbors.  Composting can take from four to six weeks or as long as one to two years depending on the size and type of material in the pile.  Moisture is necessary, but too much will slow the process; a cover may be necessary during the rainy season.  Heat is important, so a sunny location is better than a shady one.   For fast composting turn the pile with a pitchfork or stir it on a weekly basis.  Stabbing the pile with a length of pipe or rake handle will help aerate and mix the material.  Never place meat, animal fat or dairy products in a compost pile. 

If you are interested in having a Florida Friendly Yard please contact Ed Ayen at the Highlands County Extension Service office. Phone: (863)402-6540 or email: edayen@ufl.edu . His office location is 4509 George Blvd. in  Sebring, FL 33875-5837.

The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program is being implemented through your local county extension service in Highlands, Okeechobee and Glades County and is partially funded from Clean Water Act Section 319 funding from the U. S. EPA through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 

More information is available on  the Okeechobee web page,  http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu.  If you need additional information on Florida Friendly Yards, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469.  Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 5 PM on Tuesday afternoons.  

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Trade names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Larry A.  Arrington, Dean Last update: 08/21/2006 .  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert