Roots in the compost

I am finding a mass of tree roots in my compost pile. It's making very hard to get a pitchfork or shovel into. I have trees on all sides of my yard. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

Tough one elsie,I have a trumpet vine that does the same thing,I have to dig it out,thats the only way I can do it.

Do you think I can put the compost on something or in something?

The trees know a good thing when they find it. You could make a trench all around your compost pile and chop the roots with a sharp shovel or an axe. This would have to be done two or three times a year I think. A much easier solution would be to build your compost pile on a plastic tarp, that way you would collect the runoff from the pile and could feed it to your plants. Maybe a combination of both. Take THAT you tree!

Mary, I think you've got it. It's going onto a tarp and I'm going to turn it more often. thanks

I believe that it is better for the compost pile to have some contact with the soil so that the worms can come in from the soil...maybe you should check before putting it on a tarp !
Margie

Margie, my experience has been that worms will come out of the ground and crawl up onto the tarp/plastic sheeting or else just eat thru it to get to the compost pile. Worms can be very persistant.

I think I'm going to get some rigid plastic with holes drilled in it and put it on bricks and put my compost on that. The tarp is too flimsy. When I went to turn the pile I kept getting a pitchfork of plastic.

Talking about roots, do you add roots, dug up from other area, to be composted? I have in the past and they seem to take forever to decompose. I have some now and am hesitant to add them, as I just seem to have to strain them out later to use the compost. Any experience and thoughts about this. Margie

I only put small or soft roots that will decompose pretty quick. Also, no heavy vines! We are fortunate to have a neighbor with a big chipper - so I put that heavy stuff in my wheelbarrow and haul it next door - they love it!

Thanks Azalea, I think I will not put them in... I am glad that you have found the heavier roots to be a problem too.
Margie

Some chunks of root get so excited when you put them in the compost pile they start to grow!

Yeah really, they seem to multiply overnight.

I guess my composting is on a much smaller scale than most of yours. I am new to composting, and I have started with a compost bin. I filled it with organic top soil up to the bottom openings, then added layers of vegetable waste, peat moss, more top soil, leaves, etc. It is now half full, and I am continuing to add vegetable waste along with some soil or peat moss to cover it. I am hoping for some black gold next year. The bin also became the new home of 18 Canadian night crawlers which I purchased at a bait shop.

BIRD

Birdsall, besides having the twin tumbler - I also have a Rubbermaid bin very muchlike yours. It will be much more effective if you will rotate the pile. In other words,just pull the bin off the pile and set it down beside it, then fill it up again - air helps to make it work faster and keeps things from molding. By turning your pile, you are putting the fresh stuff on the bottom which composts faster by the action of the worms, etc. Eventually you will have a more even mix of compost.

I do this every couple of weeks. Usually, after I lift the bin over and refill it, there is a nice pile of compost at the bottom of the original pile.

Thanks Azaela,

Thanks for your insights. I will at least stir the stuff with my pitch fork. Up here in Michigan it gets rather wintery, so it will just have to sit for a while until spring.

BIRD

Oh my - surely this is not this year already!! That is a pretty sight, but I prefer my snow in pictures!!

No - this was an old picture. Today in Grand Haven MI, the temperature hit 75 degrees. The leaves have not really started to fall yet. I am waiting for them with my shredder. Then we will talk about some serious composting.

BIRD

Bird: Why are you adding all that topsoil to the bin? It's totally unneccessary.

Some people add soil to their compost piles as a source of the decay bacteria. But the fact is, they're found everywhere, and you don't need many to get the process going.

Garden dust on your grass clippings, the bit of soil in the roots of weeds, and so on provide more than enough bacteria.

Given the size of your unit, I would want to use all the space to produce finished compost.

Thanks, Brook, that is a very good insight for me to have. It will also save me some work and money.

BIRD