Mixing the browns and greens

I know all of you have told me the answer to this a million times, but I'm hard headed and it's hard for stuff to get in there, so please "one more time"

Ok, when I put dry leaves, etc., and then put a layer of grass, etc. , do I leave it in layers for a while or do I mix it all together to get it hot I am determined to get it "hot" this year if it kills me!!

Either way will work. I like to mix them a bit. Sems to start cooking faster, and prevents big clumps of grass here, big clump of leaves there, pocket of coffee grounds there, etc.

But really, either way works. Add moisture as you build the pile, not only on top.

Karen

Thanks K. I also found out I've got to find a way to crumble the leaves up. Everything composted really good, but there were still leaves iin it. Lesson learned.!!!

Yes, shredding large leaves definitely helps. They break down much faster.

Karen

I ran over some with a mower, but I think I'll put some in something the grandkids can jump in and turn them loose!!! lol

I haven't tried this as I have a mulching mower then a bagger to pick mine up but I heard/read somewhere to put them in a trash can and stick your weedeater down in it to chop them up. Seems reasonable.

That's an idea. Don't know why it wouldn't work. I'll give it a try!!! Thanks Now you are making my jealous side come out!! How lucky are you. There is 4 acres of leaves out here. Course 2 1/2 is woods, so those compost by themselves, so I go there too>

Now you're making me jealous! I only have about an acre of which 1/3 is woods but still have several mature oak and hickory trees in the yard supplying me with all the leaves I need each fall. I also have a neighbor down the road who has several horses. He provides me with just about all the manure I want. He says "Come and get it we're always making more"!!! Having the bagger on the mower helps with the greens too. I bag it several times during the season and throw those on the compost pile. Good luck with it.

Thanks, although I still think I have the most to be jealous of!! Some times my brain clicks on and I go into the woods and get that good black already composted soil. I don't do it as much as I should cause I have to rake it and that takes time! Besides, I'm lazy

Folks, before you go stripping your woods of leaf litter, consider how you manage your woods. You should be very careful about removing dried leaves from wooded areas that are left to tend to themselves. The deposition and decomposition of the leaf litter is part of the process that keeps your forest healthy. I am not saying don't do it, but be careful how you do it. Don't take all the leaves from an area or you will expose it to erosion and wake up weed seeds that you may not want to germinate.

I really hadn't thought about that, but you are right. The wooded part of our place here have been sitting for probably 75 years. We know it was that long maybe longer. I'd sure hate to mess it up. I do try to just do a little when I do it. It's too hard to get at under all those leaves. Some places they are a foot or more deep and then you hit the dirt.