September Newsletter

September Newsletter
September brings us the Autumnal Equinox. Cooler temperatures, shortening days, back to school and work. With returned structure you may start to feel the need to simplify and organize your life. In this month's issue we spell out a five step plan or organizing your garage. Also, handling all those leaves that fall doesn't have to be such hard work. We suggest some ecologically healthy alternatives to raking and bagging leaves.

7 ways to use or discard leaves

SEVEN! Did you know there were that many things you could do with fallen leaves? Turns out leaves are full of nutrients that enrich the soil and feed plants. Think of nature as a perfect system. In the perfect system the leaves fall off the trees every fall and cover the ground with their goodness. They protect the roots of the plants below as they slowly decompose releasing their rich nutrients into the soil. Notice there are no leaf blowers piling up and bagging those leaves for disposal in this perfect system. But in some areas you have no choice but to pick up and discard your leaves.

1. DISPOSAL: Yard waste pick up
Of course the first thing that comes to mind when you think fall leaves is raking. Raking, blowing, piling, gathering, bagging and dragging to the curb. Or if you live in the city you can sometimes rake them into the street for the street cleaners. To make the collecting and bagging easier here are a few pointers:

• Use a blower to blow leaves off the roof, walks, porches and patios
• Use your lawn mower to mulch and collect the leaves into the center of your yard
• Get a good rake with wave-shaped teeth to prevent sticks, leaves and dirt from sticking in the rake
• Rake the leaves into piles - it should be easy after mowing because all the leaves should be a single line down the middle of your yard
• Use a tarp or an old blanket, lay it next to the pile, rake the pile onto the tarp, then use the tarp like a funnel to transfer the leaves from the tarp to a bag

2. Burning
If you're out in the country you may be able to pile up your leaves and burn them. If this is your course of action, it's important to take all the necessary safety precautions so you don't damage your yard or home or worse. (Like a big leaf pile fire over the neighborhood gas line!) Consider NOT burning your leaves as leaf fires release dangerous hydrocarbons into the air. Plus a smokey, long-lasting leaf fire can be a nuisance to your neighbors. Here are some tips for safely burning your leaves:

• Call the fire department to make sure you don't need a special permit and to learn what days are permissible for burning yard waste
• Burn only dry leaves, they make less smoke and burn more quickly
• Clear a six foot perimeter around the pile before you set fire to it, there should be nothing flammable in that six foot perimeter
• Light the leaves, do not use gasoline or any type of accelerant to catch the pile on fire, if necessary you may have to light a branch on fire and toss it on the pile of leaves
• Monitor the fire at all times and be prepared to put it out if it gets too big, starts to spread or the weather becomes windy or wet
• One the fire is out, douse the area with your hose to put out all the embers
• Gather the ashes and dispose of them as directed by the fire department or your municipality

3. Drag to the back of your property
Leaves are naturally good for the Earth. If you have an unfinished or woodsy area on your property where the leaves can be dumped, this is a good alternative. They will naturally decompose. One drawback to this method is that if you have a significant amount of leaves they could blow back onto your yard. Shredding the leaves with your lawnmower first will help and will also encourage quicker decomposition.

4. Compost
If you already compost, leaves can be added to your compost pile. Fallen leaves provide the carbon necessary to every successful compost pile. The addition of leaves to your compost pile will help speed up the composting process and yield a more nutritionally balance finished compost product. As stated above, leaves that have been shredded by your mower will decompose more quickly.

5. Mulch
Leaves are an excellent mulch for around your landscape shrubs and trees. Be sure to shred them first as whole leaves can form a barrier that prevents moisture from reaching the soil. You may also pile leaves up over the base of more delicate plants, like roses, for insulation against cold temps. Spread a layer of shredded leaves over your garden beds. It will protect the bed during the winter and add fresh organic matter to the soil. Again, the decomposing leaves will feed the plants during the winter and into the spring.

6. Leaf mold
It sounds like a bad thing but it's not. Leaf mold is just decomposed leaves. Just leaves, no grass clippings or vegetable peels or other elements you'd find in a compost pile. When it's just leaves they break down more slowly but they yield a nutrient rich, soil-like material that is excellent food for your garden. It will take your leaves 6 to 12 months to break down into leaf mold. But it's worth the wait.

7. Soil amendment
Lastly, you can basically do nothing but mow your leaves into your yard. Leaves will improve your soil quality. Leaves don't really need to be raked. They really just need a little help to speed up the decomposition process. If you mow over the fallen leaves a few times, until they are very small fine pieces, they will decompose rather quickly providing your lawn with an excellent nutrient boost. Come spring, you'll have the greenest lawn on the block. And you didn't even have to rake!

Don't neglect your garage
Your garage is an extension of your home. But the garage is often the forgotten, no-man's land of lost and broken items. With winter approaching we all want to have a nice clean garage that can safely house our cars and store our stuff, providing protection against the harsh winter weather. Also, if you may be thinking of selling your home, a clean, well kept garage is often icing on the cake. A prospective homeowner can more easily see the possibilities and benefits of a clean garage than a cluttered dirty one.

A typical 2 car garage is approximate 500 square feet of space. Usually filled with disorganized toys, tools, supplies and (hopefully) cars. If your garage is in need of a little attention, here are 5 simple steps to follow to clean up and get organized.

Step one - Clear!
It's a great time of year to tackle this project because step one is a doosey! Take everything out of the garage. You can put it on tarps on your lawn or drag it all into your driveway.
 
Step two - Separate
Now that you can see all your stuff, divide it into two groups Keep and Toss/Donate. If you've got a lot of stuff, you may want to invest in a small dumpster rental for a couple of day. It makes pitching big clunky items much easier.

Step three - Sort
Now, from the Keep pile, sort your belongings into groups of like items: toys, garden tools, mechanic tools, gardening supplies, camping gear, boating items, whatever your categories are, organize your stuff.

Step four - Place
Every item that you keep must have a place. If you plan to keep it, take good care of it and give it a good home. It may be helpful to invest in some organization systems like shelving, color coded containers or wall racks.

Step five - Maintenance
Now that you've sorted and organized the contents of your garage, keep up the good work by returning items to their proper place after using them. If anything new comes into the garage, give it a good home. With a little luck you'll never have to go through a major garage makeover again.

September Holidays:
September is:

• Hispanic Heritage Month
• National Piano Month
• Chicken Month
• LIttle League Month
• Honey Month
• Little League Month
• Self Improvement Month
• Better Breakfast Month

Obscure September Holidays:
3rd - Skyscraper Day
5th - Be Late for Something Day
8th - Pardon Day
12th - Chocolate Milk Shake Day
15th - Make a Hat Day
18th - National Cheeseburger Day
21st - Miniature Golf Day
21st - World Gratitude Day
26th - International Rabbit Day
28th - Ask a Stupid Question Day