NORMAN — With cooler temperatures, you should start to see some of the beautiful fall colors we enjoy. The maples are turning golden, and the sumac is almost hot pink.
But most of you may not enjoy the brown layer of leaves on the lawn after the color has gone.
There are many options for managing fall leaf disposal. Although it is not recommended, if you absolutely cannot stand the look of leaves on your lawn, you can bag them and dispose of them.
If you are in the Norman area, you have the option of taking your leaves, branches and other yard waste to the Norman Compost Facility at 348 Bratcher-Miner Road, just off State Highway 9 and Jenkins Avenue.
Natural mulch: City of Norman residents are lucky in that they can leave bagged yard waste at the curb for Friday pick-up. Whatever you do, try to keep yard waste from taking up space in landfills.
Another option is to rake and gather leaves as usual but transport them to perennial flower beds for use as an inexpensive, natural mulch. Make sure the leaves aren’t piled too deep to suffocate the plants. Two-to-three inches of mulch is sufficient. Sycamore and other large leaves may be too big to use as mulch.
Composting: You can also choose to start a compost pile at home with fallen leaves. Composting is environmentally friendly and good for many household wastes such as kitchen scraps, shredded paper and other paper goods. Home composting is rather easy and doesn’t take any fancy equipment or containers.
To start, choose an appropriate area of the yard to make a pile. Make sure the spot is out of the way as to not be an eyesore, but close enough that it can be used easily. Then simply pile leaves, bedding material and other waste that is removed from the home and garden.
You may choose to put up a fence of some type to hold waste in as it accumulates. Turn frequently with a shovel or pitchfork and water the pile when dry, to a spongy texture when squeezed. Do not include meat, dairy, oil, fish or pet manure in the compost pile.
Quick fix: If time is not on your side, consider just mowing to incorporate the leaves. Compared with other methods, mowing is a quick and easy way to help rid your yard of leaves.
In smaller pieces, the leaves will break down better and add valuable nutrients back to the lawn. For best results, the leaves should be dry and not piled too deep. Some mowers may have a mulch setting specifically for this method.
Homeowners also can catch chopped leaves to allow the leaves to be easily distributed wherever needed. If you have several large trees and lots of leaves to dispose of, you may want to invest in renting or purchasing a vacuum shredder, which works much better than a traditional blower. Take precautions when shredding or chopping leaves with any type of machine, as damp leaves can clog equipment.
One final note: Do not use any diseased leaves as mulch. These leaves should be collected and disposed of away from plantings. Diseases can over-winter in the leaves and branches and cause disease problems in plants next year.
Tracey Payton-Miller writes a periodic column for The Transcript. She can be reached at 321-4774.
For local news and more, subscribe to The Norman Transcript Smart Edition, or our print edition.
Raw: Massive Protests Fill Brazilian Streets
Raw: German President Welcomes President Obama
Fans Cheer Dramatic Heat Comeback
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Hoffa Mystery Still Fascinates After 4 Decades
Raw: 1 Dead in Shooting at Mo. Apartment Complex
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Raw: Obama Arrives in Berlin
3 Charged in Ohio With Enslaving Mom, Daughter
Obama Seeks G-8 Support on Syria
Raw: Volcano Erupts Near Mexico City
Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies
Suicide Bombs Target Baghdad Mosque, Killing 29
Military Plans to Put Women in Combat Jobs
Solar Power Chargers in NYC Parks
Civil Rights Groups Sue NYPD Over Muslim Spying
Raw: First Lady, Daughters Enjoy Irish Sights
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy
