In the Yard


Over 20% of the residential waste stream is made up of yardwaste. By reducing your yardwaste, you can help the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District (District) increase its recycling rate and extend the life of our landfills. The following section will offer easy ways that can help reduce and recycle your yardwaste.


Reduce Reduce is producing less waste in the first place.


By


reducing your waste, you will have less stuff to throw away which can save both time and energy. A simple way to reduce yardwaste is to plant groundcover, such as ivy, instead of grass.


Benefits of Reducing  Conserve natural resources  Reduce pollution  Save local landfill space  Save time - there is no need to bag your yardwaste and take it to the curb or yardwaste drop-off site.


Just Mow It The main component of yardwaste is grass clippings. District residents can decrease their waste stream by just mowing the grass. This can emphasize the environmental value of returning valuable nutrients found


in


grass clippings to the soil while saving landfill space.


Mowing Heights For Ohio grasses


Bermuda Grass Fine Fescue


By leaving the grass clippings on the lawn each time you mow, you are creating nature’s fertilizer.


Kentucky Bluegrass Perennial Ryegrass Tall Fescue Zoysia Grass


.5”-1” 2”-2.5”


1.5”-2.5” 2.5”-3” 2.5”-3” .5”-1”


Source: Ohio State University Extension The three


nutrients required for a healthy lawn include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. One hundred pounds of grass clippings can generate as much as 3 to 4 pounds of nitrogen, one half pound of phosphorus and 2 to 3 pounds of potassium.


Contrary to popular belief, grass clippings do not cause thatch. Thatch has a high lignin content, a substance that is very slow to decompose. Grass clippings do not contain much lignin and decompose rapidly, returning valuable nutrients to the lawn.


clippings on the lawn and allowing them to work back into the soil, homeowners can maintain beautiful, lush lawns while saving time, energy and money.


Monitoring your mowing frequency is essential. Never remove more than one third of the grass blade during


Page 10 Mowing Tips


 Mow the lawn when dry to prevent clippings from clumping together on the lawn’s surface.


By leaving grass


 If periods of heavy rain prevent you from mowing frequently, make sure the clippings are spread evenly as possible over the surface. This will allow them to decompose more readily.


You could also allow the clippings to dry and mow again in a day or two. If the quantity of clippings is too great, remove and use as a mulch around trees and shrubs or consider composting.


any one mowing. Removing more can weaken the grass, slow or halt root growth and prevent clippings from settling to the soil. Mowing will normally be required at least once a week during the spring and fall months.


Recycle


Recycling means turning an old product into something new. For example, yardwaste (leaves, grass clippings, brush and flowers) can be turned into compost, a nutrient- rich material that has many uses in your lawn and garden. See Appendix B for a list of composting (yardwaste) drop-off sites.


Benefits of Recycling  Reduce the need for landfill  Reduce pollution - composting reduces the need for fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides  Create a valuable end product


Composting


Composting is a great way to recycle all types of yardwaste right in your backyard. Backyard composting recycles your yardwaste, decreases the amount of waste thrown away, saves you time and energy by eliminating yardwaste and hauling it to the curb or drop-off site and provides a free source of compost, sometimes called humus - a dark, nutrient-rich material that has many uses.


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