On 6/14/2008 6:37 AM, Eigenvector wrote:
A couple questions about my compost piles (plural) if you will.

How often do you water them? I've noticed that with all the heavy rain I've
been getting lately that the clippings have composted rather quickly and
into some rather nice soil. All that makes me wonder if I'm not watering
the piles enough - as in I don't letting rain do that. I do turn my compost
piles, that's why I have two.

I don't water mine often enough. They should be watered enough to keep
them really moist in the center. If you find dry matter when you turn
them, you need to water more.


How long would you expect a tree branch to take to degrade? Normally I
don't put wood in with my compost, but the occasional fallen limb (less than
3/4" diameter) makes it in there. But some of those limbs have been in
there for a couple years without any outward indication of decomposition -
even when surrounded by fully decomposted grass, dandilions, and shrubs.


A 3/4" branch is real wood. It can take many years to decompose.
Buried wood more than 1,000 years old is often found during
archaeological digs.

My compost is actually leaf mold, consisting of about 90% dead leaves.
When I have my red fescue lawn mowed (about once or twice a year), I
have the lawn service add a small batch of grass clippings.

When I have my trees trimmed (about once in three years), I have the
tree service save a barrel of chipped branches for me; I slowly add the
chips to my compost pile. The problem with branches is that the outer
bark can inhibit composting. In my case, the branches are chipped,
exposing the center of the branches.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/