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Thu, Mar 31, 11 at 18:30
| We have a giant oak tree that produces an incredible number of leaves for just one tree. I've tried composting them in the past, but never have enough "greens" to balance them out. I live in a townhouse, with the entire backyard devoted to garden, so the amount of grass clippings from my tiny front yard is negligible. I've never been able to get the "hot" compost that you are supposed to get if you balance the browns and greens correctly. They do break down eventually, but even after a year, they still look a lot like leaves.
This year I decided to try something new. I got some alfalfa pellets (horse food - you get this at the feed store, not the garden center) and lots of used coffee grounds (free) from starbucks. I wetted down the alfalfa pellets, which basically turn back into meal in the water, and mixed them with the coffee grounds. Then I got a leaf shredder, something I was really wishing I had last fall. I shredded all the leaves I had saved from last fall. After sitting for months, they were not decomposed at all. Then I just layered the shredded leaves with the alfalfa/coffee mixture, using my imagination to get the ratio right. That is, I did some research and determined that I should have about two parts alfalfa/coffee to one part leaves, but I think that is by weight. Obviously, even shredded, the leaves weigh a lot less than the other two, and I couldn't find any recommendations by volume, so in the end, I just decided to wing it. That was two days ago. The temperature has been cold and rainy ever since - mid 30's. I didn't check on it yesterday. Today I went outside, my hands were cold. I stuck one into the compost pile - hot! Steaming hot! I went to get the candy thermometer and measured it. 120 degrees! I have always heard of other people's compost piles getting hot, just never got mine to work like that. I'm still so amazed, I just had to tell someone about it. I've been reading this site for a while now, and getting a lot of good information here, so I thought this could be a good occasion to make my first post. I know many of you have been doing this for years, but it's so exciting to see it happen for the first time! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by jonhughes So.Oregon (jonehughes@hotmail.com) on Thu, Mar 31, 11 at 19:14
| That is awesome Susan, can you post a pic, we would love to see it ;-)
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- Posted by susan_in_md 7 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 31, 11 at 19:59
| Haha - I'll just use yours. It's much better! Though mine's still making me happy. |
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| Susan!! I'm so pleased for you! Cold compost is better than a stick in the eye, and hot compost is even more fun! |
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- Posted by vermontkingdom 4a (My Page) on Fri, Apr 1, 11 at 6:50
| Congrats Susan. Whether it's your first hot compost pile or your hundrendth, it's still exciting. I've been gardening more than 40 years and I started a new compost pile last week with a winter's worth of saved kitchen scraps, horse manure and bagged leaves. It's snowing here yet again this morning and still that compost pile is running about 155 degrees. Just amazing! |
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- Posted by heirloomjunkie 5a (My Page) on Fri, Apr 1, 11 at 13:17
| Congrats! I affectionately refer to my pile as 'Monster'. Kim |
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- Posted by gardener_mary 6 MA (My Page) on Fri, Apr 1, 11 at 22:23
| Way to go, Susan. My husband doesn't understand how I can get so excited about having made 'dirt' from 'trash'. LOL. I can't get enough. Good gardening, Mary |
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- Posted by susan_in_md 7 (My Page) on Fri, Apr 1, 11 at 23:08
| Thanks all! I checked it again today, and it was 145. Then I added a couple more layers, since it got dark before I was ready to quit the first time. I appreciate your words of support - it's nice to know other people can get as excited as I am! |
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| Nice work, Susan! Yes, we understand. My husband doesn't get it, either. Karen |
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| I understand how you feel! My wife does not get it either. She love the fresh fruits of the labor, but finds no joy in the process. |
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- Posted by randy_coyote 7 (My Page) on Sat, Apr 2, 11 at 16:04
| Susan, congrats on the CP, but I'll be thinking twice before I try any of your homemade candy. ;) |
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- Posted by compogardenermn 4- Twin Cities MN (My Page) on Sat, Apr 2, 11 at 22:05
| Way to go Susan! The excitement never wears off when you get a pile cooking like that! I've been able to turn my kitchen scrap piles that have collected over the winter four times now and to see the steam billowing out of them just makes me smile! Keep up the good work! |
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| Has anyone tried mixing shredded dry leaves with diluted household ammonia and got it going? |
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- Posted by garden_grammie SE Pa. (My Page) on Sun, Apr 3, 11 at 8:15
| What a great idea. I have the same type of pile. I did as you suggested yesterday. When can I top dress my beds with this super soil? |
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