Each autumn I bin up about a cubic metre of oak leaves in an attempt
to get them to rot down.

I started off with a wire mesh cage, then moved on to some bulk
builders bags. I'm now back to a better, larger mesh cage.

Neither of these methods is particularly efficient because the leaves
dry out too easily, and after 18 months half the pile doesn't seem to
have rotted at all.

Should I be turning the pile and watering it like a compost heap or is
it best to let it compact down. How about an activator?