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Making It Grow! News Articles

October 5, 2006

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KEEPING SUMTER BEAUTIFUL   Amanda McNulty, County Extension Agent

Slip, Sliding, Away

            The Wimbo-McNutly homestead in St. Matthews, built before 1900, was designed with flat areas on the lower tier of roofing. Flat roofs in South Carolina, even during years of drought, spell trouble. We now have a two-toned option; the lower roof has been replaced with metal while the steep, upper roof remains shingled until we win the lottery.

            Alas, this new, highly touted roof with its promise of no leaks until years after water has been coming through my coffin is slick as glass when wet and the roof cats are sliding off. Poor Bea was seen working her fat little legs as hard as she could to go forward but all the while traveling sideways until she disappeared over the edge to land safely in the boxwood.

            Not only cats on a slick tin roof but also your organic matter will disappear if you’re not careful. Organic matter is the decomposed remains of once living matter that have been broken down into no longer distinguishable parts. It may not be living now, but, man, oh, man, is it lively! Organic matter improves the texture of your soil, it reacts with nutrients so they don’t wash away with rains, and it actually holds onto water molecules, keeping them in the root zone where plants can use them. With our warm winters here in South Carolina, the microorganisms that consume this material keep on eating all year long and the composted cow manure and summer grass clippings are pretty well used up after one or two seasons have gone by.

            Mother Nature wants to help you! The leaves of deciduous trees are forming abscission layers, turning beautiful colors, and preparing to fall to the ground. This scenario is part of the most basic form of recycling; returning the elements that support plant and animal life to the soil so they can get back in the system.

            If you have a formal landscape, by all means rake up those leaves but collect them in the service area of your yard where they can become natural mulch or compost. Next spring, you can top dress your shrub borders or vegetable gardens, the mulched areas around your shade trees; all these soils will be enriched and improved by applying materials you didn’t have to pay for or carry home in the back of a truck.  You will save money for the City, the County, and you, the taxpayer, by not disposing of Nature’s gift, and you’ll improve air quality for you and your neighbors by eliminating outdoor burning.

            Learn all you need to know at http://hgic.clemson.edu when you type “composting” into the search option.

Write McNulty at amcnult@clemson.edu.

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.