It’s not spring yet, but it is time to start thinking about your lawn and garden and the “black gold” your plants will appreciate! Las Cruces Utilities (LCU) reminds you that safe, beneficial Class A+ compost is available free to area residents and farmers to boost the strength and vitality of lawns, gardens, and farm fields.
“The plus in the Class A+ status is because of the naturally occurring iron in our water,” explains Joshua Rosenblatt, BSc MPA, LCU regulatory & environmental analyst. Rosenblatt adds, “Many people purchase iron fertilizing products to apply to their yards and gardens. But iron is one of the micronutrients found in our Class A+ compost, which LCU gives back free to the community.”
Not everything in soil or water can be absorbed by plants; but micronutrients are accessible to plants and there’s plenty of micronutrient iron in our “black gold.” There is also zinc, manganese, copper, and boron – all beneficial to plants.
If you want to read all about it, just ask for a copy of the 1-page Farmer’s Parameters December 2016 analysis of the Class A+ compost when you pick up your compost. The analysis was performed by Midwest Laboratories, Inc. (an independent laboratory).
The high-quality beneficial compost from the Jacob A. Hands Wastewater Treatment Facility (JHWWTF) is made from the sludge resulting from the wastewater treatment process. Every year, approximately 800 tons of “black gold” is processed and given back to the public.
The process to make compost takes almost 3 weeks and involves “cooking” the material at high temperatures. “Heat is generated from the accelerated aerobic (good bugs) microbial activity that converts biosolids to humic compost,” explains Rosenblatt.
After the water is squeezed out, compressed biosolids are transported from the JHWWTF and dried on a 4-acre cement floor at the LCU West Mesa Facility. There, the biosolid piles are mixed and temperature is carefully monitored. A reading of 131 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees Celsius) minimum must be met or exceeded and maintained for 3 consecutive days. Then the pile is turned, mixed and again allowed to come to temperatures and duration again. This process is repeated for a total of five turns.
The compost promotes plant growth, enhances soil fertility, helps to conserve water, and is available without charge. You can pick up 5-gallon buckets of compost from the JHWWTF at 2851 West Amador Avenue during normal business hours. (Please remember to return the 5-gallon buckets!) And remember, a little of this compost goes a long way – apply sparingly.
Or, pick up the biosolid compost by the truckload west of town. Please call the JHWWTF at 528-3597 to make arrangements prior to arriving.
You can reach Las Cruces Utilities at 528-3500 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Las Cruces Utilities provides GAS – WATER – WASTEWATER – SOLID WASTE services to approximately 100,000 Las Cruces residents and businesses.
Suzanne Michaels provides this content on behalf of Las Cruces Utilities