Need to speed up leaf compost?

Question

I have lots of trees on my property and every fall I rake up lots of leaves from my driveway, walkway, and small lawn. I have tried composing them, but I never have enough grass and kitchen waist to even out the ratio.

I have visited two local coffee houses and I pick up there left over coffee grinds and that helps the pile out for about a week or two.

Is there anything else I can do to help speed up the composting? Fall is on its way and I haven't even finished composting last fall (or the fall befor that!) leaves yet! O.o

It stays moist
I stir it every week or so

Answer 1

go getcha some alfalfa... rabbit food...and DO shred your leaves if at all possible.... but put a layer of leaves and then throw out some alfalfa pellets, another layer of leafs, then water it.... keep on layering.... the alfalfa will provide your 'greens' to get the pile cookin'!!!....our Master Gardener class made a chicken wire basket about four feet tall by four ft wide and put nothing BUT leaves and alfalfa pellets and water and we had very nice compost by spring!!!....

Answer 2

Run over the leaves with your lawn mower to shred them, this helps a lot. Also, keep the pile damp. This speeds decomposition. Maybe a neighbor has grass clippings from their mowing that they could let you dump in there. You can also contact your city's public works department and find out when they do weed dredging of area lakes. Usually you can go and take as much of that as you want, for free. It's a really good soil amendment. There are commercial products you can buy to add to the compost to make it cook faster, but I prefer going a more natural route. Turn your compost pile often. In addition to the regular watering, this introduction of air helps it break down faster too.

So shred the leaves, put them in a composter (can be just a homemade post and fencing enclosure measuring 3' x 3' x 3' minimum), layer the shredded leaves in with grass clippings, coffee grounds, etc. and water each layer as you build it. Turn it with a pitchfork every couple weeks and water it again if it's been dry weather. Otherwise snow and rain will do that for you over the fall and winter. By late spring, you should have lovely compost that is mostly broken down. It is fine to use it this way, the worms will do the rest when you spread it on the garden. Good luck!

Answer 3

Try adding some nitrogen rich material-- a few handsful of 43-0-0 if there's nothing else convenient, and keep the pile moist and turned.

If you can shred the leaves before they go in the heap, that'll also make things go faster.

Answer 4

Make sure you keep the compost damp. That helps the bacteria grow.

Answer 5

conceal the area with black plastic sheeting. We did this awhile decrease back to a close-by with very unfavourable annoying clay soil. We then lined the plastic with mulch. the subsequent time we planted in that area, the worms had grew to become the soil into very fantastic dark backyard soil! i could chop up each and every thing first with the lawnmower if conceivable, as yet another answerer pronounced.

Answer 6

Add some agricultural lime, it will help the decomposing go a little faster and remember to keep it damp.