Composting yard waste

Kurt M. Jones Chaffee County Extension Director                As our gardening season comes to an end, rather than throwing away plant waste, many gardeners will compost those materials and help to improve their soils for future years.                Composting is an accelerated way to reduce the volume of organic wastes and return them to the soil to benefit growing plants.   Organic matter improves the drainage and aeration of clay soil.   Compost can be thought of as a separator that “shoulders apart” tightly packed clay particles to allow air and water to enter.   Compost also helps sandy soil hold water and nutrients.   Compost holds moisture like a sponge and releases nutrients slowly into plants as needed.   It also increases the activity of earthworms and other natural soil organisms that are beneficial to plant growth.   Compost should not be thought of as a fertilizer.   The amount of nutrients in compost is limited, but the improved soil characteristics make the additi