your hands dirty in the name of organic gardening. Learn how to start
and manage a compost heap that will give your spring plantings a
nutrient-rich jump-start at a Mecklenburg County composting class.
Mecklenburg County's Piedmont Landscape and Naturescape Training
(P.L.A.N.T.) program began its fall series of four-hour composting
classes in late September. These classes offer hands-on training in
yard care that is aesthetically pleasing, organic and affordable.
Participants in the P.L.A.N.T. class will learn:
• Composting – how to turn leaves, yard clippings and kitchen scraps
into rich compost that is thrifty and valuable to your garden.
• Home and community soil stewardship – how and why to test soil,
manage soil to improve fertility, decrease erosion and protect the
environment.
• Toxicity reduction – water quality, chemical alternatives and
natural gardening techniques; and proper use, storage and disposal of
yard chemicals.
• Home yard care – wise lawn care, types of grasses and how to best
manage them, grasscycling, and lawn alternatives that include ground
covers, natural areas and proper mulching techniques.
• Piedmont naturescaping - landscaping for sustainability and easy,
low-cost maintenance, using traditional and native plants and trees,
groundcovers and mulch, water-saving strategies, and best irrigation
practices and technologies. Prevention and eradication of invasive
plants in our communities to improve property values.
• Habitat and natural gardening – natural landscaping techniques that
allow for beneficial insects and plants, habitat for wildlife and low-
maintenance beautification of the landscape.
These classes are popular, so act quickly! P.L.A.N.T. workshops take
place throughout the County. Participants should wear comfortable
clothing and bring a snack. They will receive a book and a wire bin.
All classes take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Go to www.wipeoutwaste.com
for dates and locations. To register, call the site of your chosen
class.
The County's mission is to promote wise and sustainable management of
natural resources through responsible stewardship, working with
individuals, neighborhoods, schools and community organizations.
