By JASON GRAVES
K-State Research and Extension Central District Horticulturist
In life, when we choose to avoid hard things, we often miss out on growth and transformation. Honoring what is hard, rather than avoiding it, fosters our growth—and nature has a way of teaching us this lesson. The process of decomposition, while not glamorous, is actually quite miraculous. It is transformation through decay. What looks like waste is turned into raw materials for explosive new growth.
This kind of transformation is the beauty of the process gardeners call composting. Composting teaches us a lot about ourselves and allows us to be tangibly and personally involved in guiding this cycle of nature to happen.
Now is a great time to begin. Leaves are falling here in central Kansas, and this free ‘waste’ material is a precious organic matter resource that can be transformed into the very best soil amendment. Instead of bagging leaves for disposal, gather them for composting.
Composting leaves mimics nature’s decomposition process in forests and returns essential nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Adding composted leaves to garden soil next spring will improve its water-holding capacity, structure, microbial life, fertility, and more.
How microbes help
The magic of leaf composting lies in the unseen work of microbes. Bacteria and fungi feast on the "browns" (carbon-rich materials like leaves) and "greens" (nitrogen-rich materials like kitchen scraps or grass clippings) in the compost pile. These microbes break down tough plant structures, like cellulose, into nutrients and simpler compounds that plants can use.
The microbes generate heat as they feed, often raising the pile’s temperature to 90–140°F. This warmth speeds up decomposition and eliminates many weed seeds and pathogens that could hinder future plant growth.
Through their activity, microbes release essential nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium—in forms plants can easily absorb, enriching the soil for future plants. When decomposition is complete, these hardworking microbes leave behind humus, a rich, stable substance that improves soil structure and moisture retention. Often called "black gold" by gardeners, humus is the ideal soil amendment for gardens, landscape beds, and containers.
What we learn
One decisive takeaway from composting is that leaves cannot transform independently; they require help from microbes. This is a good lesson for our growth and transformation in life- we can’t do it without help, either. A good question is, who are the 1-3 people I can trust to help me grow? It’s time to find them.
If you’re interested in starting leaf composting this fall, I highly recommend a simple guide on our website called Composting Made Easy.
This easy-to-read guide will help you get started. Visit www.centralkansas.ksu.edu and click the lawn and garden tab to find it.