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WASHTENAW COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT
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      • Reserve Tools & Equipment
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  • Events
    • Native Plant Expo & Marketplace >
      • 2023 Spring Native Plant Sale >
        • 2023 Spring Milkweed Giveaway
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      • 2023 NPEM Vendor Application
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      • 2023 Spring Tree & Shrub Sale
    • Coffee & Conservation
    • Public Meetings Calendar
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        • Planting Native Plants
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          • Pond Management
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Composting & Mulches

Picture
Compost is one of nature's best mulches and soil amendments, and you can use it instead of commercial fertilizers. Using compost improves soil structure, texture, and aeration and increases the soil's water-holding capacity. Compost loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Adding compost improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root development in plants. The organic matter in compost provides food for microorganisms, which keeps the soil in a healthy, balanced condition. This allows nutrients to be produced naturally by the feeding of the microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added.

Guides to Composting
  • How to Make Compost, A Composting Guide
  • Composting
  • Composting with Worms

For mulches or wood chips, you can often find affordable large quantities from local municipal services. For wood chips, it's recommended to purchase ones that are seasoned and free of weed seeds. Some local municipal composting facilities include:
  • Ann Arbor Compost Facility
  • Ypsilanti Township Compost Site

It's possible to get woodchips from local arborists working in your area as well. ChipDrop is an organization that makes this connection easier.

Washtenaw County Conservation District
(734) 302-8715
info@washtenawcd.org

​ 705 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Copyright 2020
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Annual Reports
    • 2022 Strategic Plan
    • Board Meetings
    • Board of Directors >
      • 2023 Director Elections
    • Staff >
      • Career Opportunities
      • Internship Opportunity
    • Resource Assessment >
      • 2021 Results
      • 2016 Results
    • 2020 Millage
    • FOIA Requests
    • Annual Meeting >
      • 2022 WCCD Awardees
    • Conservation Update Newsletter
  • Store
  • Resources
    • School & Community Habitat Grant
    • Rain barrels & Composters >
      • Rain Barrels Information
      • Rain Barrel Common Questions
    • Tool and Equipment Rental >
      • Reserve Tools & Equipment
      • Hand Tool Rentals
      • Herbicide Application Tool Rentals
      • Tool Rental Calendar
      • Equipment Rental Calendar
    • Contractor Lists
    • Hunter Access Program
  • Events
    • Native Plant Expo & Marketplace >
      • 2023 Spring Native Plant Sale >
        • 2023 Spring Milkweed Giveaway
      • 2023 NPEM Speaker Series
      • 2023 NPEM Sponsorship
      • 2023 NPEM Vendor Application
    • Tree & Shrub Distributions >
      • 2023 Spring Tree & Shrub Sale
    • Coffee & Conservation
    • Public Meetings Calendar
  • Conservation Planning
    • NRCS Farm Bill Programs
    • MAEAP
    • MiFarmLink Inquiry
    • Farmer Cost-Share Opportunities
    • MI Farmland Preservation
    • Invasive Species
  • Education
    • Workshops & Programs >
      • Community Conservation Education
      • Conservation Agriculture Education
      • Conservation Stewards Program
    • Online resources >
      • Agriculture >
        • Farmland Preservation
        • Soils >
          • Washtenaw County Soils
          • Soil Sampling >
            • Soil Sampling Article
            • Homeowner Soil Testing
            • Agricultural Soil Testing
        • Windbreaks
        • Composting >
          • Composters
      • Forestry >
        • Community Trees
        • Tree & Shrub Planting Guide
        • Common Tree Diseases & Pests
        • Crop Tree Management
        • Fruit Tree Planting & Care
        • Likelihood of Deer Damage
        • Other Forestry Links
        • Pruning Forest Trees
        • Timber Sales
        • Urban Trees
      • Insects >
        • Animal & Insect Repellents
      • Invasive Species & Control
      • Native Plants >
        • Planting Native Plants
        • Seeding Wildflowers
      • Recycling
      • Water >
        • Groundwater >
          • Groundwater Protection - Agriculture
        • Pond Construction >
          • Pond Management
        • Rain Gardens
        • Shoreline Property
        • Stormwater Runoff & Management
        • Stream Bank Erosion and Control
        • Wells >
          • Water Testing
          • Water Screening Events
        • Wetlands >
          • Wetland Mitigation Banking
        • Wildlife >
          • Brush Piles
          • Clearcutting
          • Den Trees
      • Tree of Heaven
  • Get Involved
    • Spring Tree & Shrub Event Volunteering
  • Donate
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