Soil Gold: Composting Techniques for Landscapers

Why Composting Matters for Landscapers

Leaves, grass, chips, and prunings become valuable feedstock instead of costly disposal. One crew we coached cut hauling fees by half within a season simply by redirecting trimmings into well-managed windrows onsite.

Building the Perfect Mix

Target a carbon-to-nitrogen range around 25–30:1. Think leaves, straw, and chips for carbon; grass, coffee grounds, and fresh trimmings for nitrogen. Too wet and smelly? Add browns. Too slow and dry? Add greens.

Building the Perfect Mix

Seasonal leaf collections, lawn clippings, hedge trimmings, and chipped branches are abundant. Supplement with sawdust or cardboard when carbon runs short, and secure coffee grounds from nearby cafes for consistent, nitrogen-rich boosts.

Pile Designs That Fit Your Crew

Long, narrow piles are easy to turn with a loader, handle large volumes, and scale with your business. Leave aisle space for equipment, and turn when temperatures plateau or odors creep in.

Pile Designs That Fit Your Crew

Perforated pipe and small blowers reduce manual turning while speeding decomposition. These low-profile systems are discreet, perfect behind shops, and neighbor-friendly when covered and managed for airflow and moisture balance.

Pile Designs That Fit Your Crew

Modular bins showcase your expertise to homeowners and HOA boards. Use them to teach best practices, display maturing compost stages, and build trust that your maintenance plans are genuinely regenerative.

Pile Designs That Fit Your Crew

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

Managing Moisture, Air, and Heat

Aim for a damp-sponge feel: a firm squeeze yields a few drops, not a stream. Use tarps to guard against heavy rain, and re-wet with fine spray during hot, windy spells.

Managing Moisture, Air, and Heat

Once piles exceed about 131°F, pathogens and weed seeds begin to decline. Maintain thermophilic heat through balanced feedstock and timely turning, then let temperatures fall slowly as curing stabilizes finished compost.

Troubleshooting in the Real World

Rotten-egg odors suggest anaerobic conditions—turn, fluff, and add dry browns. Sharp ammonia indicates too much nitrogen—fold in leaves or shredded cardboard to balance and quiet the volatile release.

Troubleshooting in the Real World

Avoid food scraps in professional piles when possible. Bury fresh greens, maintain clean edges, and secure covers. Rodent-resistant bins and tidy sites prevent neighbor concerns and keep operations welcome.
After core aeration, spread about a quarter to half inch of screened compost and broom it into holes. Expect improved root depth, smoother surfaces, and fewer dry spots under summer stress.

Applying Compost on the Job

Contact us
Elegalresources
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.