Why is it important to compost? Between 30 and 50 percent of residential waste could be composted instead of put in a landfill, which would reduce the volume of trash and the production of greenhouse gas. Compost is nature’s way of recycling nutrients by using microbes to help break down organic material. The end result is a nutrient-rich soil amendment with an earthy aroma that improves soil and plant health and can eliminate the need for fertilizers.
If you have limited outdoor space for composting, consider the Bokashi bucket method or explore other options. There are also community-based composting programs in Albuquerque. To find a composting option in your area, simply enter “composting near me” into your Internet search engine.
The Four Required Elements for Backyard Bin Composting
Moisture (water) to sustain the microbial life
Nitrogen-rich materials, also referred to as “greens,” that heat up the compost pile to create ideal conditions for decomposition
Carbon-rich materials, or “browns,” that provide food for the microorganisms and help balance the green materials
Oxygen to maintain aerobic conditions necessary for the desired microbes
What Can be Composted?
Greens (Nitrogen)
Browns (Carbon)
Food and vegetable scraps
Dry leaves
Grass clippings and yard trim
Shredded straw or hay
Coffee grounds and paper filters
Shredded paper (non-glossy, not colored)
Paper tea bags
Shredded cardboard (no wax coating, tape or glue)
Eggshells
Sawdust
Bread and grains
Wood chips
Fruit or fruit peels (limit citrus)
Paper towels and towel rolls
Keep These Items Out of Your Compost
Meat, fish and bones
Dairy products
Pet waste or cat litter
Stickers left on produce
Fats, oils and greases
Aggressive weeds or weeds with seeds*
*Certain carefully-maintained compost techniques can kill seeds
How to Bin Compost
Collect and store materials. An easy way to collect food scraps (greens) is to use a dedicated, washable container that can be stored under the sink or on the counter. When preparing meals, place scraps into this container. To avoid smells and pests, store the container in your fridge or freezer until you are ready to build or add to your pile. Browns, like leaves and wood chips, can be collected throughout the year and set aside until needed.
Select a space and then build or buy a bin. Choose a space outside that is dry, shady, within reach of a watering hose and easily accessible. Next, build a compost bin system or purchase a three-bin system, barrel or tumbler.
Prepare your browns and greens. Break large items into smaller pieces to speed up the process and create a more uniform product.
Build your pile. Start your bin with a 4 to 6-inch layer of large-sized brown material like twigs and wood chips. Then, layer greens and browns like you’re making lasagna at a ratio of two parts brown to one part green. Finally, add water to dampen the compost pile so it is moist but not soaked. *Tip: Squeeze a handful of the compost. If a few drops fall, it is moist. If water streams out, it is too wet.
Maintain the pile. As the material begins to decompose, the temperature will rise. Turn and mix your compost pile every few weeks so the decomposition process is sped up. Monitor the bin for moisture (damp, but not dripping) and odor (earthy, not stinky), and troubleshoot as needed.
Cure and use the finished compost. When there are no visible food scraps (except small pieces of eggshell), allow the compost pile to cure (sit unturned) for at least four weeks. If well-maintained, the whole process will take about three to five months.
Whether you decide to use a bin system, vermicompost or a different method, you will be turning waste into compost that builds healthy soils and sequesters carbon. To learn more about composting in New Mexico visit NM Master Composters and the NM Healthy Soil Working Group. Visit the City of Albuquerque for more information on the city’s sustainability efforts and tips for food waste prevention.
Typically, a conventional turfgrass yard includes a few large trees and some planting beds for flowers and shrubs around the foundation of the home. This type of yard often has a couple of existing irrigation valves for sprinkler irrigation. A conventional turfgrass landscape requires tremendous amounts of water to thrive in our region — a minimum of 40” (with an average of 50"-55”) of water per growing season, which is about three to five times more than what is provided by natural precipitation each year. This is why we do not consider a turfgrass yard a desert-friendly landscape.
Climate change is causing us to rethink our yards, and that includes yards with lawns. For a yard with a lawn to be truly desert-friendly, the amount and type of grass used must be considered. A desert-friendly turfscape should also have efficient sprinkler nozzles and pressure compensating sprinkler bodies to maximize the water that’s used to maintain the lawn.
We recommend that no more than 10% of your total yard is devoted to a lawn. Research from various universities in the Southwest and lawn seed producers (such as Pennington Seed) is now suggesting that New Mexico’s climate is no longer suitable for cool-season grasses to thrive. Instead, we need to make a shift to various warm-season grasses, which will grow well with significantly less water.
Cool-season and warm-season lawns are the two different categories of turfgrass lawns found in Albuquerque. Cool-season grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and tall fescue) thrive between 65F and 75F degrees in the summer. They create a softer, darker green and lush-looking lawn. In Albuquerque, most lawns are composed of cool-season grasses that are cold-tolerant and green most of the year. They can withstand considerable amounts of foot traffic. One disadvantage is that they use a substantial amount of water in the summer months. Parkblend (a blend of cool season grasses) is the most common lawn in the Albuquerque metro area. It uses around 40” of water a year.
Warm-season grasses (Bermuda grass, blue grama, and buffalo grass), which thrive in 70F to 90F degrees, have been used in Albuquerque for many years. There are parts of town where they are quite prevalent. Warm-season grasses have a shorter growing season. They green up later and go dormant earlier than cool-season lawns. They are low maintenance and require less water than cool-season grasses.
Buffalo GrassBermuda Grass
Knowing what type of lawn or turfgrass is being installed or already being watered can make a significant difference in how much water should be applied. The key to choosing a turfgrass for a new area is to determine the one most suited to the specific needs of the landscape.
Water Budget (this includes 1,000 square feet of cool-season grass and a number of mature trees, shrubs and vines):
Mature Size: 1’-2’ x 2’-3’ Mexican blue sage is a semi-evergreen, silvery-blue flowering perennial that holds its mounding shape well. It’s a heavy bloomer in the spring and early fall, with leaves that emit a spicy fragrance. Mexican blue sage does well in all soils, even clay.
Mature Size: 15’ x 10’ The small accent Oklahoma Redbud tree begins the growing season with a blast of radiant purple blossoms. This stunning show is followed by purple seedpods and bright green leaves. The Oklahoma Redbud can be trained as a single or multi-trunked tree by shaping it in early summer. Due to its deep rooting tendency, this tree is perfect for courtyards or in narrow beds. It does have a tendency to produce offspring, which should be removed where not needed.
Are you ready to remove your lawn and create a desert-friendly landscape but worried about the cost? Below are cost-savings tips for transforming your yard.
Plant price tags: For homeowners wanting to transform their yards, it’s easy to feel sticker shock when adding up the cost of buying new plants. Keep in mind that the plants you buy from nurseries started as seedlings and have been nurtured for years before they are ready to sell. Most trees have been growing for 10 years before reaching stores. And remember that these same plants will enhance your yard for decades to come. To save money, buy plants in smaller pot sizes. For example, instead of buying a 5-gallon plant, buy a 1-gallon or 4” pot. Instead of buying a 2” caliper tree, buy a 24” box tree or a 15-gallon tree. Reducing the size of the plant you purchase will save money.
Irrigation woes: Fear of the unknown cost is what usually worries homeowners about installing an irrigation system. No need to worry if you are transitioning from a grass lawn with spray irrigation to drip irrigation when you already have valves in the ground. We recommend spending the money to hire a local irrigation professional to check your valves and convert your valve from spray to drip. Once you’ve done that you can save money by installing the drip polyline yourself.
Mulch madness: Choose organic shredded wood chip mulch over gravel to save money, enrich the health of your soil, eliminate weeds and greatly reduce maintenance. Shredded wood chip mulch can be up to $1 a square foot less expensive than installing gravel. Tree maintenance companies, like Baca’s Trees on Edith Blvd NE, offer mulch free to the local community. You can also visit the East Mountain Transfer station to buy inexpensive loads of mixed-sized organic mulch. This material is perfect to put over bare dirt areas of your yard that need to be covered to eliminate weed growth.
Materials stockpiled: Think outside the box and get creative when sourcing materials so you can save money and resources. Check out re-stores, thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and even your neighbors, who are a valuable resource. They may have landscaping materials available for free or at a small cost. Your neighbors’ properties may have stockpiles of materials sitting around that may not be useful to them but could be put to great use in your yard. When in doubt, ask for what you are looking for. Pop onto your neighborhood’s text thread, knock on doors or even utilize the app Nextdoor.com. Someone’s trash is another person’s treasure.
Water Authority’s Rebates: Did you know you get $2.00 back for every square foot of lawn you convert? Water Authority residential customers who convert their landscapes to desert-friendly xeriscapes and use drip irrigation can qualify for a $2.00 per square foot rebate. The rebate area of your new landscape must have 50 percent coverage (at maturity) of qualifying low to medium water use plants, and the soil between and beneath all plants must be covered with at least three inches of mulch (organic mulch, gravel, etc.). If you are interested in participating in the Desert Friendly Xeriscape Conversion Rebate, be sure you don’t start your turf removal project until you have applied online to the program and received an official notice to proceed. Several conditions must be met in order to qualify for the desert-friendly xeriscape rebate.
