This is a hammer 8/25/11

THIS IS A HAMMER

Composting tips

Q: I really enjoy your column, it’s informative and helpful. We have many trees on our property, and leaves are a constant cleaning chore. We place the leaves in a barrel and let them decompose. When they’ve broken down, we use that compost in our flower beds and special gardens, like our volcano mountain waterfall garden. In the decomposing barrel, we add a little lime to sweeten the soil.

The best way to maintain home value is to keep the home looking appealing. — Mr. & Mrs. Harry & Janice K., St. Cloud, Fla.

A: Good advice. Creating a compost heap is a very...