The hot summer temperatures are in the past and it's time to enjoy the cool autumn weather. With cool temperatures, you start to see some of the beautiful fall colors we most 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 Highway 9 and Jenkins Avenue. City of Normanites 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 like usual, but transport them to perennial flower beds for use as an inexpensive, natural mulch. Make sure the leaves aren't piled or deep as to suffocate the plants, 2-4 inches of mulch is sufficient. In addition, Sycamore and other large leaved trees may be too big to use as mulch.
You can also choose to start a compost pile at home with fallen leaves. Composting is environment 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, excavate an appropriate size hole in the ground. 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 fill the hole with 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, pet manure in the compost pile.
If time is not on your side, consider just mowing the leaves. Compared to 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.
Homeowners can also catch chopped leaves in the bag attached to the mower. This allows the leaves to be easily distributed whenever 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 the plants the next year.
For more information on composting or mulching, please feel free to contact the Cleveland County Cooperative Extension Service at 321-4774, or visit our Web site at http://oces.okstate.edu/cleveland. You can also access OSU Fact Sheets online at: osufacts.okstate.edu.
Outdoors
October 8, 2009
Fallen leaves can be used as mulch, compost
- Outdoors
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- Safety is vital when working with chain saws STILLWATER -- As Oklahomans clean up after the recent ice storm that left tree limbs shattered or lying around, care should be taken to ensure protection against unintentionally risking an arm or leg being added to the toll.
- Dolese Youth Park Pond teeming with trout for young anglers Oklahoma City resident Gaston Gallant goes fishing nearly every day of the two-month trout season at Dolese Youth Park Pond, a northwest Oklahoma City fishing destination currently teeming with nearly 2,600 rainbow trout.
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De-icing salt can harm landscape plants
Each winter, millions of tons of deicing salt are applied to state and municipal roads to keep the roads safe for vehicles to travel. Salt is spread near houses to avoid pedestrian injuries. This is necessary for safety, but did you know excessive salt can cause widespread damage to trees ? possibly leading to permanent decline and even death?
According to the Tree Care Industry Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the tree care industry, even severe salt damage might not be visible on a tree until the end of summer, leaving homeowners wondering what might have caused the problem. - Making it through That was a cold spell of what we used to call "Biblical proportions." It was made perhaps more interesting locally by the old heat-pump in the house, which died on New Year's Eve. For a week, the household was maintained by an old Franklin stove in the living room, and by the old owner, who had to carry in firewood so it could be fed every hour or so.
- University of Oklahoma team wins college fishing event ZAPATA, Texas -- The University of Oklahoma team of Mark Johnson and Chip Porche won the National Guard FLW College Fishing Texas Division event on Falcon Lake Saturday with six bass weighing 34 pounds, 8 ounces.
- Great Western Feedout entry deadline Friday It is time to start entering for the Great Western Feedout of 2010. For those of you not familiar with it, the Great Western Feedout is a producer information feedback program that allows cattle producers the opportunity to evaluate the genetic merit of the calves they produce for feedlot performance and carcass value following weaning and a winter stocker program.
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Part-time lakes are of full-time importance
For the unlearned, old age is winter, for the learned, it is the season of harvest.
--Hasidic saying
Today's topic is the most important wetlands you've never heard of: Playa lakes and oxbow lakes. Playa lakes are usually saucer shaped natural low places with clay bottoms located in dry landscapes. - Christmas Bird Count yields unexpected rewards What am I doing here? It is incredibly cold morning and I am crouched here in the dark in the willows on the banks of the South Canadian River with a few stalwarts indulging in an activity called "owling.
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Increasing deer population leads to ornamental and garden plant damage
STILLWATER -- With more than a half million white-tailed deer in Oklahoma, many landowners experience nature in its purest sense as the deer can be viewed at close range.
However, this has become a problem over the years as the deer population has increased, forcing thousands of these animals into peripheral suburban areas, leaving homeowners to deal with damage to ornamental and garden plants. -
Wildlife Department to host town hall meeting
Sportsmen will have an opportunity to voice their thoughts on wildlife, hunting and fishing related issues at a town hall meeting hosted by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The meeting, one of a series, is set for 7 p. - More Outdoors Headlines
