Tip of the day: Compost your leaves this fall

One of the most tedious seasonal chores is about to claim the top spot on your already lengthy to-do list: dealing with the countless fallen leaves that have accumulated on your property.

You could gather them in piles for your town to pick up or haul bagged leaves to a municipal facility—or perhaps simply ignore them. (We don’t recommend that slothful move.) Instead, put the leaves to use by starting a compost pile and turning them into a rich fertilizer for your yard, flower beds, and planters. Follow these tips to get your pile started now so you'll have "black gold"—compost—ready for next spring:

• Collect leaves by raking them into piles or bagging them with a walk-behind mower or lawn tractor. Using a mower or tractor will reduce leaves to the right size for composting (they’ll decompose faster than whole leaves). Don’t compost black walnut leaves; they emit substances that can harm plants.

• You can make a composter with stakes and chicken wire or by using wooden shipping pallets. Just be sure to position the pile where the leaves won’t blow or wash away. Or consider buying a composting bin. The typical model is about 3 cubic feet in size and allows air to flow through, helping with decomposition. (The University of Missouri Extension offers some interesting ideas for homemade composters.)

• Add grass clippings to the pile; try to keep the ratio at one part grass to three parts leaves. You can also toss nonanimal food waste on the pile, but you will need to turn it more frequently with a shovel, pitchfork, or specialized tool to prevent odors that will attract vermin—and annoy you and the neighbors.

Essential information: Learn more about composting and compost bins on GreenerChoices.org. For expert advice on lawn gear and ways to keep your yard looking its best, visit our Complete Lawn & Yard Guide. And use our tips to take care of your property and equipment this fall.

Comments

[J R Lyons]

I JOINED CONSUMERS REPORT TO CHECK ON COMMERCIAL COMPOSTERS. I HOPE THAT I HAVE NOT WASTED MY MONEY ($26). I CANNOT FIND ANY INFORMATION ABOUT BACKYARD COMPOSTERS AND THERE ARE WEB SITES THAT POINT IN YOUR DIRECTION.

[Laura Docherty]

I also joined this site to learn more about backyard composting, and can't find anything. Please let me know you have any information.

[J R Lyons]

TO: LAURA DAUGHTERRY

I SAW YOUR COMMENT ABOUT BACKYARD COMPOSTERS REGARDING COMSUMERS REPORTS. THERE IS A SITE ABOUT COMPOSTERS AT GREENERCHOICES.ORG. YOU CAN FIND INFO ABOUT COMPOSTERS ON THIS SITE NAD IT ONLY RECOMMENDS 4.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE FURTHER INFO MY EMAIL IS.
jdotrdotlyons@aol.com

J R Lyons

[Peggy]

I joined to get info on compost bins and find nothing. :-(

[sheree wright]

Where is the information on ratings for compost bins? Seems
like false advertising. Sustainablility is the watch word, make it good Consumer Reports! Organic gardening folks want to see ratings on all the different compost bins, compost tumblers, worm composters, etc.

[Gordon Wagner]

Alas, I, too, wanted to find information on composters I see on the web -- which is best? This is the SIXTH TIME in twelve months I've looked to CR for information and found NOTHING. Steam cleaners, dishwashers, composters... am I shopping for things that are not reviewed for some reason? The dishwasher reviews disagreed sharply with reviews posted by consumers.

[Fraser Felter]

Very disappointed there is nothing on CR on compost bins. Second time in two months I've looked for something here with no results. Beginning to wonder if this has been money well spent?

[Denise]

I used the link suggested above by J R Lyons & found the ratings at the following page
http://www.greenerchoices.org/ratings.cfm?product=compostbin

[sharon in kemah, tx]

I joined consumer reports and now when I do my first search for information on "composters" I find nothing! There is even a web site indication for consumer reports when you google for ratings on composters and yet when I go on the Consumer Reports Site, as indicated, there is nothing. Help. Is the report/rating hidden in another area?

[charles h]

I'm very disappointed that the review for compost bins is no longer on your site:

. Consumer Reports
July 2004
Details/Subscribe
Our Assessment

Consumer Reports tested four compost bins -- two static models and two tumblers -- for performance and ease of use. Though this article is very dated, and the results aren't reported as thoroughly as in… some other Consumer Reports articles, their testing is still the most reliable we've found on this subject. Testers' findings on two compost bins conflict in some ways with information from other sources.

Why would anyone "subscribe" only to find out the very article they wanted does not exist??????????????

How much more information is missing. You should work more on your archive (what we paid for) instead of all the fancy web site variations trying to sell more services.

[Debbie]

I'm in the same boat at the previous commenter, but I already had an account. I followed a link from google and was all excited about seeing ratings and this is all I could find!

[Joanne]

I am trying to find the best composter and I was directed to Consumer Reports because it stated: "Find out which Compost Bins are best with our unbiased reviews.

www.ConsumerReports.org"

I am a member, went to your site and found nothing. What's going on here? This is not the first time I have searched ConsumerReports.org and have not found information that I needed. Your website is not "search" friendly.

[Jim]

I have waivered for years about getting into composting of leaves, grass, and vegetable food waste partly because of the smelly chore of "-need(ing)to turn it more frequently with a shovel--". Another concern is about composter function/use during long winters in the snow belt. Lawn and garden catalogs are promoting a variety of rotating drum designs as the "Easy-To-Use". But I cannot find any comparative reviews of these pricier composters. Surely it is time for CR to update its 5 year old evaluation of just 4 composters.

[Gary]

Searching your site yields a link which says, "Smith & Hawken's Biostack Composter, a CR Best Buy, was excellent for convenience and durability and cost $130." Yet where are the rankings of compost bins that earned this product its Best Buy rating?

[Jeremy]

Same question as Gary - where are the rankings for composters? Nowhere to be found.

[Stella Smith]

Okay, where's the information on composters? What's with you Comsumer Reports................

[MLD]

This is the first time in ages that I've had a need to come to this site. No ratings on composters. Also, previously, no ratings on garbage disposers.

[suzanne]

I am so disappointed as are all of these previous posters
I was led here by greenerchoicesoorg and feel mislead as well
additionally it seems they fall short on other reviews as well
has anyone tried to get refunded?
I am seriously considering it
how very disappointing...

[ARJ]

I think I followed the same links, but I'm a member of CR for other reasons.

Note that if misleading advertising and the promise of goods and/or services not delivered causes you to erroneously purchase something (such as a magazine or web site subscription), the easiest and fastest way to get a refund is to contact your credit card immediately and file a dispute.

Your reason for the disputed charge is the deceptive advertising that suggested information you wanted would be available after purchase. Since it is not, that's goods-not-delivered.

I will note that CR has been adopting many of the deceptive and unfortunate practices (you should see all the mail and offers I get) of their more commerical peers. For a consumer product review publication, run by a consumer advocacy group, that is distressing.

[Aureline Longwell]

Where is information comparing Compostumbler? Did you include it in your comparisons?

[Eric]

I have been a member of CR magazine and CR online for many years, today I tried searching for reviews on Composters and could not find anything. Why with everyone turning to green recycling techniques and the economy would CR not do a review on Composting.

[judy fitzsimonds]

Try this. http://www.greenerchoices.org/ratings.cfm?product=compostbin&orderby=Composting_ASC&orderset=ASC,ASC,ASC,ASC,ASC,ASC
Looks like the Smith & Hawkin Biostack is the highest rated.

[C MatJr]

I too have not found the information I was looking for about composting. You really should be more like Greener Choices. org.

[Scott Mitchell]

I have belonged to CR forever, and now I need something...get going with a composter trial...and beat the bush for the top manufacturers...too often you don't even have the 'best of the best'. That is not the way it 'used to be'. Come on guys....be responsive to the readers. I am sometimes embarrassed when people ask me and I say, I read it in CR'. Step it up!! scott mitchell

[Stephanie]

I agree with the comments; a few weeks ago I wanted to research rice cookers-no reviews. Now composters-not much but compliants.
I don't think there is any reason to renew my subscription.

[ElizabethC]

In the past I remember reading reviews for composters and for rice cookers. In fact I used the ratings to buy my current stack composter. Now I want to buy a crank version and can't find the ratings. Does CR remove ratings after a certain number of years?

[Craig L]

I checked out the reviews on www.greenerchoices.org (a Consumer Reports site) and found the four listed but felt the reviews were lacking any pertinent info. Also there are several other types of composters (tumblers) that I was hoping to learn about.

They are the Composttumbler (www.composttumbler.com), a similar tumbler at compost-twin.com, something a bit different at organic-compost-tumbler.com and another type of tumbler the Tumbleweed at /www.peoplepoweredmachines.com/composter/tumbleweed.htm

There are tons of others as well and Mother Earth News looks like good review of a tumbler. A search on Bing.com also came up with plans to build your own tumbler.

But I would certainly have hoped that Consumer Reports would review some of these inovative designs against the standard boxes that require a pitch fork to turn

Thanks, please let me know if you do more current reviews.
CraigL

[Robert Strong]

Like so many other subscribers, I was hoping to find Consumer Reports ranking of composters for home gardens, as I like to read your ranking of products before making a purchase. I was disappointed that your have not researched and ranked composters. Do you plan to do so sometime soon?