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Leaf only composting?
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Posted by ikea_gw 7 (My Page) on Thu, Nov 5, 09 at 16:07
| Over the weekend, we mowed our lawn for the final time this year. The grass clippings mixed with leaves filled 3 big compost bins. I am happy to report that it is really hot inside... checked by sticking my finger in on the side. Now we have no more grass clippings but still tons of leaves to compost. How well do you think leaf only compost will work? I don't mind it taking a year or so but two or more years might be a bit too long for me. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Leaf only composting?
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| If you only compost leaves, the result is typically referred to as "leaf mold"... you can actually buy leaf mold from a landscaper. But yes, it takes a long time to make leaf mold. Generally I place the shredded leaves and clippings directly on to my landscape beds or garden and use them as mulch. I figure I making in-situ leaf mold. Shredded leaves make a great mulch and a nice winter cover for the garden. |
RE: Leaf only composting?
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| When I was helping my sister set up her raised beds, we took a trip to a local golf course (in southwest Connecticut, lots of oak trees). They had a 'dump' about an acre in size, with a mountain of leaves. Just leaves. Despite reports that just leaves won't heat up, this mountain of leaves was, indeed, hot inside. We took two trips loaded up with leaves to get her compost bin started. You might want to shred them. But if they are a bit wet, I think they will heat up at first. |
RE: Leaf only composting?
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| Laave them in the bags or pile them to over-winter. When you have more clipping or other greenery you can mix a new pile. Shreaded leaves will decompose more quickly. Spread them out and run over with the mower a few times. |
RE: Leaf only composting?
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Leaves can be made into leaf mold by spring, or it can take a couple of years it just depends on which leaves you have, how they are handled, and the moisture in the pile of leaves. Leaves with high quantities of preservatives, Oak, take a long time to be digested while leaves like Maples often are digested in a matter of weeks.
Even the Oak leaves that I mulch mowed into the turf here last week are being digested already as evidenced by the large amount of worm casting in those areas. |
RE: Leaf only composting?
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| If you want to speed up the leaf-only bins, sprinkle a handful of ammonium nitrate after every foot or so of packed-in leaves. Then water it well. I can compost oleander leaves in a few months by doing this. |
RE: Leaf only composting?
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| I have probably 50% tulip tree leaves and 50% oak with a tiny amount of flowering tree leaves mixed in. It rained last night after I piled leaves in a bin. I guess I will go check the temperature in a few days to see if anything is happening. |
RE: Leaf only composting?
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| Depends mostly on what type of leaves, mine are oak, maple and sweetgum. Oak leaves have a higher C:N than others like sweetgum leaves. The pile with mostly sweetgum leaves has heated up to 140F, with just a few maple and oak leaves, and a tiny bit of grass. This year is rather unusual, the leaves hung on much longer than average. And the leaves seemed to have more nitrogen than usual. |
RE: Leaf only composting?
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| Up north the leaves are still on most of the oak trees. This year the sweetgum leaves mulched into a nice fine powder that they didn't need to be picked up, even the stems of the leaves mulched fine. Also the oak leaves are not shredding as fine as last year it seems. Oh, if you what a faster leaf mulch or "leaf compost" product then shred the leaves and put them in bags, dump water in the bag and mix the water with the leaves, tie up the bags, store somewhere sheltered from becoming frozen, and wait. You want small leaf particles, so mow the yard once with out the bagger then bag to get a nice fine material. (You may get some grass mixed in either dry or green and thats fine) |
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