Is there a way to accelerate shallow-pile, open-air composting of dead leaves?

Question

I live on the edge of a forest and use a leaf blower to blow dead oak leaves off my cleared land and back to the edge of the forest. Raking them up and trashing them would be a constant, herculean task in which I am not willing to engage. So at the back of my property on the edge of the forest is a pile of leaves 3-4 inches deep. I water them to keep them damp and rotting, but is there any way to accelerate the process? If I were to spread an enzyme on them, like that used in septic tanks for instance, would that make them rot faster? Anyone have any other suggestions?

Answer 1

I would spread a light covering of soil on them but the best would be to add a "green" material for its nitrogen before adding the soil. This could be grass, coffee grounds, fruit windfalls, kitchen scraps & fresh manure. The leaves you have supply the carbon source.
A rule of thumb on C:N ratio is make roughly 1⁄4 - 1⁄2 of the pile green nitrogen materials and 1⁄2 - 3⁄4 brown carbon materials.

Additionally run your mower across them to shred them while they are dry. Size matters when it comes to fast composting. This can also help mix light easily chopped material like grounds or clippings.

Answer 2

Add 16-16-16 fertilizer every month or so, this will rapidly increase the decaying process. Also, the deeper the pile, the faster it will compost.

Answer 3

I've used rabbit food 'alfalfa pellets' with great success... a thin layer of them over a layer of leaves, repeated and kept moist, works just dandy ....

Answer 4

Shred, add N, keep the piles turned so they're aerated.