Author Topic: LEAF MOULD~how can I speed up the process? (Read 7719 times)

Duke Ellington · « **on:** November 16, 2009, 19:34:18 »

Is there something I can use to make my leaves break down faster! I cant use shreader vac because I collect my leaves away from home.

Duke

betula · « **Reply #1 on:** November 16, 2009, 19:57:45 »

They do take ages and some are horrors,they take forever.

I suppose if they are shredded someway they will break down quicker but I don't know any other way.

Remember they do not add nutrients,just act as a soil improver.

Sholls · « **Reply #2 on:** November 16, 2009, 20:02:36 »

I find tipping the contents of my Bokashi bin in accelerates the process dramatically.

I have a 330 litre compost bin that I use exclusively for leaves. On Friday it was full to the brim, I sprinkled in some of my fermented kitchen waste on the heap & it's already half the size. :) Before I had the Bokashi I used to add comfrey or chicken pellets; the decomposition wasn't as quick, but it certainly speeded things up.

betula · « **Reply #3 on:** November 16, 2009, 20:08:53 »

Could you explain how the Bokashi bin works please? :)

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #4 on:** November 16, 2009, 20:11:28 »

Nitrogen would help, and you produce than in convenient liquid form. Go pee on them!

davyw1 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 16, 2009, 20:23:52 »

Chempac compost accelorater or Garotta

betula · « **Reply #6 on:** November 16, 2009, 20:31:52 »

I have used all the above on the compost but never thought to do it on the leaves,never really needed to .

I have got a huge amount so no need :)

Georgie · « **Reply #7 on:** November 16, 2009, 20:41:40 »

I mix mine with grass clippings.

G

cambourne7 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 16, 2009, 21:20:28 »

It was recommended to me that you pop them into a black sack pee on them tie the bag and leave for a while.

Never tried it.

powerspade · « **Reply #9 on:** November 17, 2009, 04:44:54 »

Dont buy shop bought activators - just pee on them

PurpleHeather · « **Reply #10 on:** November 17, 2009, 07:22:43 »

There was a guy from those gardens in London on the TV the other morning and he said that they put the rotary mower over the leaves to shred them and the worms then turn them into soil over night.

Seems that it does not damage the mower doing it.

It is boy pee which is better for breaking down compost. It contains something girl pee does not have (probably beer). And boys have a natural facility to hose it on to where it should go, it stops them leaving the seat up if they are sent out to the compost bin too.

Sholls · « **Reply #11 on:** November 17, 2009, 10:19:53 »

Quote from: betula on November 16, 2009, 20:08:53

Could you explain how the Bokashi bin works please? :)

This link will explain. (It's a great system if used correctly, i.e. be liberal with the Bokashi bran).

macmac · « **Reply #12 on:** November 17, 2009, 10:27:22 »

Well now I know what ti is ???
Somebody gave me one of these bokashi bins and I had no idea what it was but I've been making comfrey concentrate in it all summer and it works a treat :)thanks Sholls

Duke Ellington · « **Reply #13 on:** November 17, 2009, 11:32:04 »

Quote from: PurpleHeather on November 17, 2009, 07:22:43

And boys have a natural facility to hose it on to where it should go,

My leaf mould bin is 4x4 feet square ...I think some men would still miss the target ::)

Duke

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #14 on:** November 17, 2009, 20:19:02 »

Depends how sober they are. If you can't hit the target, go in a bucket and pour it on. I'm a bit sceptical about this boy pee/girl pee thing, as its the nitrogen which is important, and pee is how we excrete broken down protein.

Unwashed · « **Reply #15 on:** November 17, 2009, 20:24:08 »

Bokashi. So that's like a bucket from the £shop, but it costs £60.

terrier · « **Reply #16 on:** November 17, 2009, 22:12:18 »

I use a builders bag (1 cu m) for leaf mould. First time I used one I didn't fill it where I wanted to store it, then it was so heavy I couldn't move it! ::) Never thought of using a dalek bin for leaf mould, might try it this year to see if they rot any faster. There's squillions of RED worms in the midden, anyone know if they would be good to add to the leaves?

Slug_killer · « **Reply #17 on:** November 17, 2009, 23:03:17 »

As already said in some other recent leaf collecting thread ...

I collect about 40 Green bags from the local 'hood, tip a few bags at a time onto the lawn and use the mower to shred. This all goes into a 1m cubed bin that's open topped to allow the rain to keep the whole lot moist.

As and when I can get grass clippings (not just mine, but also green bag fulls put out by neighbours), I mix this in. Although its a 'cold' composter, the grass helps warm it up to a temp ideal for microbes.

From about April onwards I turn the whole lot once a month and by November (ie 12 months) its ready to be tipped out ready for the next lot.

You can do it quicker (I think Kew does it in 12 weeks), but you need a much larger volume and lots of manure to get the temp. high.

Sholls · « **Reply #18 on:** November 17, 2009, 23:16:26 »

Quote from: Unwashed on November 17, 2009, 20:24:08

Bokashi. So that's like a bucket from the £shop, but it costs £60.

Unwashed, as with everything in life it pays to be informed & then shop around (or build your own).

Back OT, I'm eyeing up the sycamore tree on the verge across the road... a dawn raid with the leaf vac might be in order tomorrow. 8)

Slug_killer · « **Reply #19 on:** November 18, 2009, 13:36:23 »

I understand that oak leaves are one of the quickest to compost, but I cant remember where I read that.

Magnolia are one of the slowest as they are thick and waxy, Holly leaves take forever - same reason.

80-90% of my compost is Aesculus hippocastanum (conker leaves), 5-10% Quercus (Oak), but I have three big magnolias as well.

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Author Topic: LEAF MOULD~how can I speed up the process? (Read 7719 times)