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Hot and cold composting
In message , Jeff Layman
writes That side is now completely full, so I'll start filling up the other side again, starting with shredded leaves. The first side should be ready by 2025... The science is a mystery to me too, but am thinking about composting leaves, which, if shredded, apparently only take a year or so to turn into compost. May be worth restricting your currently empty bin to shredded leaves only, and see what has happened by this time next year? -- Graeme |
#2
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Hot and cold composting
On 11/11/2020 10:37, Graeme wrote:
In message , Jeff Layman writes That side is now completely full, so I'll start filling up the other side again, starting with shredded leaves. The first side should be ready by 2025... The science is a mystery to me too, but am thinking about composting leaves, which, if shredded, apparently only take a year or so to turn into compost. May be worth restricting your currently empty bin to shredded leaves only, and see what has happened by this time next year? The composting time of leaves ius dependent on the type of leaves. Beech,for example are very slow to break down. |
#3
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Hot and cold composting
On 11/11/2020 10:57, Broadback wrote:
On 11/11/2020 10:37, Graeme wrote: In message , Jeff Layman writes That side is now completely full, so I'll start filling up the other side again, starting with shredded leaves. The first side should be ready by 2025... The science is a mystery to me too, but am thinking about composting leaves, which, if shredded, apparently only take a year or so to turn into compost. May be worth restricting your currently empty bin to shredded leaves only, and see what has happened by this time next year? The composting time of leaves ius dependent on the type of leaves. Beech,for example are very slow to break down. Unfortunately, my neighbour's tree is a beech and it buries the borders and lawn in its leaves this time of year (we've already suffered the masts). I've noticed how slow the leaves are to break down, and my worms seem to leave them alone as well. Even partially-shredded leaves in polythene bags, with the leaves soaked and then holes made in the bags to help aeration, have recognisable beech leaves after 3 years. There seem to be few "soft" tree leaves. Holly and bay are tough as old boots. Oak and beech are tough; sycamore, chestnut, and horse chestnut moderately so. Ash and Japanese maple seem reasonably soft. Wisteria leafs are soft, but the stalks are hard and the leaf vacuum won't pick them up anyway! -- Jeff |
#4
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Hot and cold composting
On 11/11/2020 11:25, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 11/11/2020 10:57, Broadback wrote: On 11/11/2020 10:37, Graeme wrote: In message , Jeff Layman writes That side is now completely full, so I'll start filling up the other side again, starting with shredded leaves. The first side should be ready by 2025... The science is a mystery to me too, but am thinking about composting leaves, which, if shredded, apparently only take a year or so to turn into compost. May be worth restricting your currently empty bin to shredded leaves only, and see what has happened by this time next year? The composting time of leaves ius dependent on the type of leaves. Beech,for example are very slow to break down. Unfortunately, my neighbour's tree is a beech and it buries the borders and lawn in its leaves this time of year (we've already suffered the masts). I've noticed how slow the leaves are to break down, and my worms seem to leave them alone as well. Even partially-shredded leaves in polythene bags, with the leaves soaked and then holes made in the bags to help aeration, have recognisable beech leaves after 3 years. It shouldn't. They take me about two years to turn beech leaves to leaf mould. The first year they are packed into my green (compost recycling) wheelie bin with a few added holes (don't tell the council). By then it has rotted down enough in the bulk that it is about half full. I decant the semi composted parts into two black bins where they complete the next year. By then it is fine enough to use as compost and very friable. The top layer dries out and doesn't rot so well and goes back in as the lower level of the new wheelie bin at this time of year. I top the leaves up as and when there is space in the green bin. Keeping the moisture level right is key to having it all turn into leaf mould. There seem to be few "soft" tree leaves. Holly and bay are tough as old boots. Oak and beech are tough; sycamore, chestnut, and horse chestnut moderately so. Ash and Japanese maple seem reasonably soft. Wisteria leafs are soft, but the stalks are hard and the leaf vacuum won't pick them up anyway! Most tree leaves have tannins and other antifungal inhibitors in. You need to seed it with some already rotted leaf mould as a starter culture to help things on their way. -- Regards, Martin Brown |
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