I had a similar problem with 3 or 4 bags. I was saving the grass or plant cuttings to throw into the compost pile throughout the summer months. Last week, I noticed they were gone. My family had thought they were attracting mosquitoes/bugs and threw them out.

For the case of other browns, though, I have been using a cross-cut shredder on paper, newspaper ads, junk mail, etc. I even look forward to picking up in-store weekly advertisements now so that I can browse through the ad this week, and then compost it next week!

I find the cross-cut shredder works well for this purpose.

Paper towel is also a good option but it seems too soft for the shredder that I have, so when I'm watching TV, I just shred them manually.

"(Our son now knows to ask before taking anything to the landfill!"

Wanna bet? Well maybe to the landfill but taking things in general without asking,dream on. While we are on the subject,you should also be aware storage fees will quickly give him ownership of your property which are at his place.

Sorry to hear it jpc! We have a lot of work to do educating people that the landfill should be the *last resort*. Not to mention that most 'bugs' are a healthy and essential part of the ecosystem and should not be eradicated on sight.

Fortunately, Nature provides, so you'll have more leaves soon. :-]

My condolences as well, jpc57. I think it's a local question though what to use. Check craigslist, ask around.

We just heard at a party about a free compost drop-off site near my friend's house. I'd been checking her area's craigslist, but I should have been Googling "free compost cityname"

Good luck in the search.

Same problem, two bags, not 13, but I would have loved to have those leaves to mulch my vegetable bed with and mix with the grass clippings. Only it was DH who put them out for the trash. Understandably, the garage was getting too full of junk. :-) I'm using a different kind of pine bark mulch as a mulch on the vegetable garden this year because of it. It's sort of like a bark chip that is pretty small. The appearance reminds me of cocoa hulls. Not sure how this will work out, but it was either that or hay/straw. Already I see I have to put a thicker layer on because the weeds are coming through.

Cardboard, in all forms, used paper towels and napkins, empty paper towel and toilet tissue rolls. for the brown layer in a compost pile. Newspaper through the shredder I guess would do okay. Although I see a lot of color photos in the newspaper these days and not sure about the inks. This pine bark mulch from Agway by the bag would probably make a good brown to add to the compost bin. A 3 cubic ft bag is $7+ each. It is just the bark not the wood and is dark brown chips.