Residential composting

Why pay for bags of organic soil when you can create it right in your backyard? In Lenexa, residents are permitted to keep their own compost areas as long as the following city requirements are met:

• Compost must be stored in a container manufactured or constructed so as to contain all materials and permit turning to aerate the materials.

• The container and its contents must be stored in the rear yard and screened from view of adjacent properties at ground level.

• The container and contents must be maintained in a neat and sanitary condition and be free of odor.

• The compost area should occupy no more than 20% of available outside storage area.

Once the city requirements are met, you’re ready to begin composting. Here are a few simple tips to get you started:

Composting tips

1. Start your compost with grass clippings, hay, leaves, certain kitchen scraps, and shredded newspaper or plain white paper. Fruits, vegetables, egg shells and coffee grounds all make outstanding compost material. But too much of any one material will slow down the composting process. If you have all leaves, all grass clippings or an overload of any other single type of material, it can throw off the balance so try to keep a good mix. Also, avoid composting plants, weeds and lawn clippings that have been treated with pesticides and/or herbicides, especially if you plan to use the compost in a vegetable garden.

2. Do not compost fats, pet droppings or animal products. They will attract pests to and can spread disease.

3. Place your compost in a dark plastic bin, or create your own compost area by placing a wooden pallet on the ground, drive two metal stakes into each side and slide additional pallets over each metal support. Compost should be kept in direct sunlight for best results, as it breaks down faster at warmer temperatures. The process will slow down through the colder months; hay bales can be used to help insulate the pile.

4. The perfect size for a compost pile is at least 3' x 3' x 3'. It's not only a manageable size, but it's ideal for retaining heat while still allowing air flow.

5. Keep your compost aerated. If you are composting with a pile or in a static (non-tumbling) compost bin, be sure to mix up the contents with a compost turner to oxygenate the pile so it can effectively break down. If you are composting with a tumbling composter, make sure you turn it whenever you add new materials.

6. Don't let the compost completely dry out. A compost pile needs moisture to keep the process active. But don't keep your compost so wet that it gets soggy and starts to smell bad. Just as too dry is bad, too wet should also be avoided.

7. You’ll know your compost is ready when it looks, feel and smells like rich, dark soil and all the original items you placed in the bin have completely broken down. Finished compost is dense -- usually less than half the starting volume. Apply finished compost to your garden about 2-4 weeks before you plant, giving the compost time to integrate and stabilize within the soil. You can also soak finished compost in water to "brew" compost "tea," a nutrient-rich liquid that can be used for foliar feeding or for watering plants in your garden, backyard or home.

You’ll find more information on composting by visiting the web, your local library or your local nursery.