Leaf raking is a major chore this month. I’m still a bit old fashioned and rake by hand. Most modern folks have switched to leaf blowers, but protect those ears with plugs or headphones.

Compost is called “black gold” and is created from garden trash that the intelligent gardener collects, a natural process of enriching the garden soil. October is a major composting time. Much of the debris from the vegetable and flower garden can be thrown into the compost pile. Leaves, grass clippings and green table scraps can be processed into rich humus.

Compost heaps appear in many shapes and sizes. The simplest and most common is a back corner of the yard out of sight, a collection of several years of garden refuse. Homemade reinforced wire bins are common, a large receptacle of garden waste. Home and garden stores sell composters of various sizes including tumblers that will speed decomposition. You can also purchase special packets of microorganisms that hasten the decaying process.

Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville has on display several methods of composting garden refuse. It is not true that varmints such as rats, voles and moles will make their homes in compost piles if proper sanitation measures are followed. Gardeners can turn garden debris into black compost in as little as 6 weeks with adequate moisture, aeration and nutrition; or simply pile up your garden waste and wait 2-3 years for compost.