Method:
A complete yard care system that is aesthetically pleasing, low maintenance, low budget and environmentally friendly is available to residents through a coordinated series of year round workshops and programs addressing interrelated topics.

The County's home composting program started in 1993 and has reached over 10,000 households. The 4 hour training class is available to residents and includes hands-on projects, a book and a wire compost bin. 

The participants will learn how to do the following:

• Composting - how to turn leaves, yard clippings & kitchen scraps into rich compost that is a cost savings & a valuable soil amendment for plants in the yard and garden.
• Home and Community Soil Stewardship - How and why to do a soil test, managing soils to improve fertility, decrease erosion and protect the environment.
• Toxicity Reduction - Water quality, chemical alternatives and natural methods, and proper use, storage and disposal of yard chemicals.
• Home Yard Care - Wise lawn care, types of grasses and how to best manage them, grasscycling, and lawn alternatives including ground covers, natural areas and proper mulching techniques.
• Piedmont Naturescaping - Landscaping for sustainability and easy, low-cost maintenance, (southern xeriscaping)using traditional and native plants and trees in the landscape, groundcovers and mulch, watersaving strategies and best irrigation practices and technologies. Prevention and eradication of invasive plants in our communities to improve property values.
• Habitat and Natural Gardening - natural landscaping techniques that allow for beneficial insects and plants, habitat for wildlife and low maintenance beautification of the landscape.