Every year, the U.S. Environmental Defense Fund says, Americans dispose of 24 million tons of leaves and garden waste that could be composted and recycled into the soil.

Landfills are expensive and the nation is facing two major problems — a diminishing number of suitable locations and the increased cost of meeting environmental regulations.

When leaves fall in the forest, Mother Nature lets them decompose slowly to replenish minerals in the soil. This is composting in its purest sense. With all the leaves that are coming down at this time of year, it is really a shame not to utilize them for compost that will enrich and dramatically improve our home garden soils.

Composting is really not very complicated. Everything rots eventually. It can be as simple as raking leaves into an out-of-the-way spot and letting them decompose to building a compost bin or buying a manufactured plastic composting device. Compost piles can be located in the sun or shade and on a concrete or dirt surface. They just need to be accessible so that leaves, garden refuse and kitchen waste can be added.

Some folks like to fence in their pile with chicken wire so the leaves don’t blow in the wind. Others stack cinder blocks, hay or straw bales to construct a three-sided contained area for their compost. Remember, the pile needs to be at least three 3 feet, preferably larger.

There is no specific recipe, however, the most successful compost piles are made from carbon-rich materials such as leaves with some fresh green materials such as grass clippings and/or vegetable scraps in a ratio of 10 to 2. Leaves by themselves will compost slower. Materials shredded into smaller pieces will speed up the decomposition process. The chopping creates cuts and scratches that allow the microorganisms to get into the plant material, multiply freely and work their magic. A layer of garden soil or compost from a previous batch will inoculate it with the tiny microorganisms, fungi, bacteria and earthworms that will change the debris into rich compost.

Water is a necessary component. The pile should be slightly damp — like a wrung-out sponge or dishcloth, experts say. Too much moisture will drown the microorganisms, and too little will slow down the decomposition process. The pile can be covered with a plastic tarp to keep it from becoming too wet during the cold, rainy winter months. It needs to be turned occasionally to expose the inside to air so the microorganisms can receive the oxygen they need to do their work.

In addition to leaves, grass clippings, straw and other garden refuse, coffee grounds, eggshells, fruit and vegetable trimmings, pecan or peanut hulls, pet hair, household dust, shredded newspaper, feathers and animal manures can be added to the pile. On the other hand, meat, bones, grease, colored paper and herbicide-treated or diseased garden refuse should never be included in a pile.

Chopped-up leaves also make wonderful mulch in flower beds and around trees and shrubs. They insulate the roots from sharp temperature changes in the winter and from heat and drought stress in the summer. They decompose, help enrich the soil and are free.

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Miriam Jabour, a Master Gardener and Master Flower Show judge, has been active in the Openwood Plantation Garden Club for over 35 years. Write to her at 1114 Windy Lake Drive, Vicksburg, MS 39183.