An inquiry from "Ella":
"...We did start a large compost pile at home a number of years ago...[but] it went unattended for a couple of years. Miraculously, because we continued to dump leaves and kitchen compost, it was developing into some very rich compost. I am currently obsessive about chopping up all the stems and leaves we have here [at her flower shop] and taking them home. Chopping everything up has made a tremendous difference in the rate of decay. I can't possibly keep my compost turned because of the size but I can dig at the bottom and get all the rich soil I need.Any thoughts and/or suggestions from experience or recommended reading? I have done some reading and some of the suggestions are impractical for me because I don't have much time to spend on this particular project."
Not being a composter yet myself, I'd be curious to hear any advice/tips/resources/good links from readers about composting in general...and am especially curious to hear from folks about how to deal with bulky, fibrous plant matter...just in case I make a movement toward composting here.
Some good ideas:
• Compost Tips from the OrganicGardener.com- The author suggests a garden shredder to ensure consistently sized pieces and thus speed decomposition--just as I.'s experience have proved. Note that this is a UK site, which means some links won't work for those of us stateside.
• As usual, the Gardener's Supply site has some good tips...liked this regarding how to evade turning the pile and still keep it aerated:
- Build your pile on a raised wood platform or on a pile of branches.
- Make sure there are air vents in the sides of your compost bin.
- Put one or two perforated 4-inch plastic pipes in the center of your pile.
• Can I Compost This? from the New Brunswick (Canada) Department of Environment is interesting.
Will also explore a bit more online myself and post anything relevant in this post's Comments section.
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