Easy Easy composting

I used to read all the books about how to make great compost - layering it properly, putting in additives, turning it properly, checking the temperature, etc etc. I don't do any of that now and I have the most wonderful compost. I only have 1/3 acre, lots of perennial beds and lots of trees and very little household food wastes. I have 3 compost sites. The compost bins are made from chicken wire about 4 1/2 tall wired in a circle about 3 1/2 ft in diameter - just make a cylinder with it. In the fall and in the spring I dump all my leaves in a pile to be used in the compost as I need it. I simply layer garden cuttings from the perennial beds, grass cuttings, leaves, fresh food contributions ... layer and layer till it reaches the top . . . . no rocket science to this - just dump it in. I never never turn it. Voila ! I have a constant supply of gorgeous compost to use in my gardens. Lift the circle of chicken wire to expose the good compost, move the cylinder to a new spot and start filling it again. so easy. I've never had more than a half year turn around time on these compost bins and I live in the great Canadian north country !
hope these ideas help some of you
Judy

Now THIS sounds like composting I can handle. I had wondered about chicken wire. I read of someone who tried plastic barrels, but then said the clippings just slipped around when they tried to turn it and it didn't work. I'm going to make a chicken wire bin this weekend because I've just been 'stacking' some clippings on the ground in the area I want to put my compost piles! Thanks for the great input. sr

My bins are the same dimensions, except made out of welded wire. The one thing I've found helpful is to water my compost--some of it in the middle was dry as a bone when I went to use it this spring.

pam

I'm also a believer in: Compost Happens!
Hats off to the people who cook it to perfection but that's not me. Nature composted without any help for many millenia. I think some people get scared off thinking it has to be complicated.

I am getting my wire bins ready this weekend and can't wait to have beautiful rich compost next spring. thanks, sr

Amen to you all but I do use layering of grass/plants to keep it cooking so it is done in 2 to 3 months. I NEED COMPOST! I NEED COMPOST! I MUST HAVE COMPOST!

Soferdig, I greatly respect everything you do/know about soil and composting (You are truly the dung maven).
But I do have a question for the speedy composting afficianados. Cooking your compost quickly doesn't really give you more compost, it just gives you the same amount of compost quicker. Are you talking about creating more space?
Dave

No Dave I am just referring to the simple compost idea that was started in this thread. If you don't have the right mix of nitrogen and carbon you get slow breakdown. One to 2 parts grass to 1 part carbon (plant) is the fastest and hottest compost made. Kenton uses boiling water not me. It is just that in Montana if I don't use the right combo it takes all year to make black gold. I like 2 piles a year to put on my soil. Spring pile in new beds and fall pile on old beds.

Soferdig, Can I ask you another question? My neighbor just had 3 stumps ground down. I took it off his hands. It is maple tree stump with a fair amount of dirt mixed in. If I use it as mulch, should I add extra nitrogen?
Or should I wait and compost it?
Dave

Either way I use stump grindings as top dressing or fork it in where I want more water retention. IE sunny spots and I add 1 part wood and 2 parts cow manure. I have when out of sh.. used frequent applications of Ammonium Nitrate. Every couple of weeks just a sprinkle and water it in. This is what I did for much of my woodland garden, Sawdust, Stump grindings, and shavings from all of the places here it was free.

Thank you Soferdig! It looked way to good for me to pass up. Glad to know I can use it now.

Just collect anything that used to be a plant and put it with bacteria from the soil and add nitrogen: grass, manure, inorganic, and VOILA' black gold. Just think like God and wait.

hi everyone - just got a chance to check back in - glad you liked my experience of very simple compost - it really does work well here. it is very very cold and windy here now (we had a bit of snow this morning) but when it warms up a bit I will take a pic of my wire bins for you
Soferdig - I see your question to Dave on May 20th about the "right mix" - the only thing I have found I can't go heavy with is grass cuttings or leaves ... if I have too many of either of those I save them out to a pile on the side and layer them lightly with my normal compost contributions. Because I have alot of trees on my property my leaf pile is huge ... but no problem working it in.
Also - sometimes in dry weather I do take a hose to it to get everything wet - but not too often.
I love my compost - it is wonderful
I've just been told by a friend that I don't use chicken wire but some sort of open wire fencing (chicken wire is apparently more fragile than what i use) hope this hasn't messed you up

Good imput Sammi you are lucky to have all those leaves. I am slowly getting my forest.