Building a Compost Pile 101

As we’re coming up to mid-November in New England, it’s hard not to notice the abundance of fallen leaves strewn across sidewalks and front lawns. As beautiful as they are on the trees in their vibrant shades of oranges, reds, and yellows, it usually ends up being a pain if you’re left tripping over slippery leaves all day. A great way to motivate yourself to clean up your lawn’s leaves is by preparing your collection for a compost pile.

First, start by collecting all of the fallen leaves in your area, soggy leaves and all, and stockpile them in an outdoor storage bin. Another important element to a nutritious compost pile is grass clippings from the spring before or after. You may have already started collecting your clippings from a few seasons prior to fall or you can always wait for the next time your lawn is in need of a cut. A compost pile can always be added to – even around the upcoming holiday season. Vegetable scraps from Thanksgiving and December holiday meals can add a great element to your autumn leaf compost pile. Keep on recycling your kitchen scraps and build your compost pile so that you can add this nutrient-rich substance to your springtime soil.