Riverdale Park is a "Tree City" and has enjoyed this status for five years. Our trees should be a source of pride for the entire town and they are a great resource that we should learn to use well. Many studies have shown that large shade trees can help keep our homes and gardens cooler in the summer. Of course, a scientific study shouldn’t be necessary to understand this very simple effect. When Fall rolls around and the leaves start to pile up, we may see our trees as more of a nuisance. We may have trouble starting a cranky leaf blower that hasn’t been used since last year or we may experience a ringing sensation in our ears after we use it for hours on end.

There is a better way! This is not magic, of course, but it is a very simple, low cost, energy efficient and money saving way to make the most of our tree resources. First of all, get rid of the leaf blower! These devices pollute the air with noxious exhaust and they generate noise levels that can lead to hearing loss. Get a simple lawn rake that does not produce unwanted noise, polluted gases or kick up clouds of dust.

Next, consider your entire lawn and garden area and look for a place where you can establish a compost pile for the leaves. By keeping the leaves that your trees shed, you can easily produce a rich, humus like mulch that is great for the trees, azaleas, rhododendron, hollies, yews and other acid loving plants. You will need to have an idea of how large the pile of leaves may be and mark the boundaries of what will be your compost pile. If you wish to contain the pile better you can use a roll of fencing material to just make a cylinder 4 or 5 feet in diameter. Then just scrape off the topsoil in the area where you want to compost. Save this topsoil because you will use it to pile on top of the leaves to keep them from blowing away and to "inoculate" them with the natural microorganisms from the soil.

Just rake the leaves into your pile and make alternating layers of leaves, followed by grass clippings or manure (great way to get rid of your doggy droppings) and a bit of the topsoil. If you have none of these materials you may wish to lightly fertilize with a nitrogen rich fertilizer. Wet the layers a bit as you pile them up. If made right, the pile will begin to "cook" within a week or two. If you dig into it you will note that it is actually steamy and warm. This is because the microorganisms are eating the leaves and other organic material and generating their own heat. During this period the heat generated actually disinfects the pile (can even kill roundworms from the doggy droppings). As the pile ages and cools down you will undoubtedly see earthworms start to move in. This is truly the sign of a healthy product that will be good for your plants. In fact many studies have shown that compost acts like a natural plant antibiotic to strengthen seedlings and mature plants alike.

There are only three things a compost pile needs to "cook". These are a good balance of carbon and nitrogen, the right moisture and good air flow. With a little practice you can find the right blend of materials, usually available right in your own garden, to make a great compost pile and produce your own healthy mulch material. Instead of spending money to have the Town take our leaves away and buying mulch to replace this resource, we can make our own! This will save energy by reducing the fuel spent by the trucks and our cars and save money for the Town and for our own pockets, all the while helping feed our great trees and gardens.