You need to mix together the right balance of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen to get composting happening faster. Of course, you can speed up this process in various ways. To find gardening books, courses, and more, check out The Shop at Greenupside! This will neutralise any acids that may form which will try to preserve rather than allow it to rot down. Leaves usually take 6 to 12 months to break down into compost on their own because they don't contain the nitrogen necessary to speed the composting process. Many leaves make a great addition to compost. Leaves of diseased plants should also be thrown away and not composted. Check out 'Tumbler composter v bin' to find out more. Every Autumn/fall","articleBody":"Leaves will decompose faster when nitrate-rich material is added to them. Although you can use leaves as mulch in a garden, you can also add them to a compost pile. Kitchen waste is usually nitrate-rich and will go a long way to balance the carbon brown of leaves. Bugs in the garden can make short work of a crop that took a long time to grow, so knowing exactly how to deal with every type of garden pest is essential! Every Autumn/fall we get, whether we want them or not, a sizeable delivery of leaves. The fastest way to decompose leaves is to gradually add them to kitchen waste when you put it in the compost. If you find that your compost pile is too dry, add some water with a hose to keep it moist. Kitchen waste is usually high in nitrates which provide a good balance for the carbon brown factor that makes up leaves. Step 5. Luckily, there are a few actions you can take to speed up the composting process for leaves. Delivered right to your inbox once per week. gtag('js', new Date());
You can go exotic with alpacas and ostriches, or traditional with chickens or cows or goats but whichever you decide, weve got a little inspiration for your animal journey! ","description":"Leaves will decompose faster when nitrate-rich material is added to them. In excessively rainy climates you may choose to cover the pile or keep it in a roofed area, but again this is not necessary. For this process, moisture is required. Here are five ideas on how to speed up decomposition. She enjoys writing content that helps homeowners feel motivated and confident in handling projects around the home. One way to do this is to add materials that already contain lots of the beneficial bacteria that you want. It doesnt have to be. A dry dust will absorb any excess moisture that often turns up when collecting kitchen waste. To counter this, you can add sawdust, which is very dry and will help to absorb some of the water. 6- Create pet bedding. Googl annalytics tags
Use the leaves for mulch on top of the compost you just laid down. Speed up the process by shredding the leaves, adding molasses, and flipping the pile routinely. Leaves are often referred to as natures nutrient recyclers. Mixing them in with kitchen waste as you feed your compost bin will work well. According to the University of Illinois Extension, apply 1 cup of nitrogen fertilizer per 25 square feet of leaf material to accelerate decomposition. See what they do to a cardboard box. After crushing add half of the quantity into a bucket. 1. body.custom-background { background: #ffffff; } Youll find a selection of in-depth articles on all things tuber-related here. {"@context":"https://schema.org/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.rolypig.com/how-do-leaves-decompose-faster/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://www.rolypig.com","name":"Rolypig"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://www.rolypig.com/category/all-about-composting/","name":"All about composting"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://www.rolypig.com/how-do-leaves-decompose-faster/","name":"How do leaves decompose faster? First, by covering the leaves you are protecting them from rain and snow, ensuring that they will never get soaked. Add one to the other until you have what looks like an even mix. A general rule of thumb is to provide more carbon than nitrogen, but the exact recommended ratio varies from source to source. Then sprinkle enough lime to make the surface look white then add the next layer. 2- Cover with a Tarp. If you keep up the regime of regularly turning and aerating your pile you should have high quality leaf compost by the following spring. There are other ingredients that you can add to improve what you have. How to Speed Up Composting Five simple things that will speed up your composting process are: Chopping and shredding your composting ingredients. (11 Plants That Grow Quickly), link to What Is Fire Blight? Storing dry leaves is an ideal way of having a ready supply of carbon brown material to add to high-nitrate kitchen waste, when you need it. This assumes that: Of course, this means that pure leaves by themselves will decompose more slowly, perhaps a year or longer, especially if left alone. This is a good way of building any compost heap whether youre making compost from a large quantity of leaves with grass clippings or building a heap over a long period. You will no longer be cleaning leaves from your lawn or driveway but instead harvesting them for the production of high-quality compost! If you are lucky you will have enough to take you up to the next Autumn/fall. (11 Plants That Grow Quickly). A dry dust will absorb any excess moisture that often turns up when collecting kitchen waste. Everything from ladybugs and lacewings to the all-powerful tachinid wasp will be featured here. The University of Illinois suggests turning a compost pile every 2 to 4 weeks. The smaller the size of the material, the faster it will decompose. You can uses leaves or chopped leaves as mulch on the surface of the soil in your garden. There will be available nitrates in the half-rotten grass to work with the abundance of carbon that the leaves will provide. Making compost from just leaves will need moisture and time. Leaves don't need to be shredded for making compost. Adding compost activators and accelerators 6. This requires effort from you and it will make all the difference if you are trying to make compost quickly. Is a static bin best for making compost from leaves or a tumbler? There are leaf grabbers or there is the garden rake. In dry weather, you may need to add water to keep the pile wet. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. That way, the nitrogen and carbon are balanced. Our raised bed gardening category shares our tips about raised beds and how best to put them to use for you! Be sure to shred your leaves if youre going to compost them. This will help them break down faster. Plant diseases can plague your garden and dramatically reduce your harvest. This will get air into it and accelerate the process. This is an in-one-end, out-the-other system. Gardening tool reviews along with gardening product reviews of some of the most popular products on the market like the Aquafarm, Tower Garden, and much more. Making compost from anything will take time, so, fast is always going to be difficult to achieve. Grass that you cut at this time of year tends to have a higher moisture level than during the Summer months. You dont need to use any special type of shredder for shredding leaves. This isn't always practical or even desirable in many cases. Check out 'What does lime do to compost?'. display: inline-block; This will help the 3 to 4 inches of mulch above to decay over the next two years.
Green materials are those that are high in nitrogen, such as vegetable peelings, fresh manure, coffee grounds, grass clippings and other plants cuttings. To promote decomposition, mix leaves with grass clippings or other materials high in nitrogen. Place a tray underneath to catch the liquid that falls through, which is rich in nutrients. They can be stored in bags. There may not be enough moisture doing it this way, so you may have to add water to make the dry leaves moist enough. The next step is to pile your leaves in single or multiple piles. Is a static bin best for making compost from leaves or a tumbler? 5- Spread Wood Chips in the chicken run. A: It takes roughly two to four months for leaves to break down adequately enough in a compost pile or in a pile of their own. Small particles of anything organic will always rot down faster than anything large. Keeping a proper moisture balance. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Add one to the other until you have what looks like an even mix. Do leaves need to be shredded for making compost? If your leaves become dry and crispy during spring/summer just give them a bit of water with a hose until they rehydrate. Another advantage with shredded leaves is that dry leaves when shredded often convert to dust. How do leaves compost faster? Another option is to store some leaves in a dry place, as for a basic compost tumbler, and feed them, a hand-full at a time, when feeding kitchen waste to a, The dry leaves will absorb, and use, any moisture that comes with the kitchen waste. If you want fast compost from your grass clippings, turn the pile every few days. You can tell that bacteria are not working if the compost pile is cool or warm, rather than hot. Loading in dry leaves, which are usually clean to handle, is an easy thing to do. Sugar will increase the population of helpful bacteria and speed up the decomposition of your compost pile. Step 2: Mix approximately equal parts of organic green materials You can use vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, and/or animal manure. You will find that you need to cover every inch of ground when you use a rake and they only work best when raking leaves on a lawn area. You dont need to keep adding water. .archive-header { border-color: #a09600;} Add water to moisten the dry leaves, but don't allow them to become soggy. If you can gather leaves in dry weather conditions, it will be much more convenient and the leaves will be easier to handle. The one thing that you will have to look out for when gathering leaves is the wind. A compost tumbler is best use as a batch system. If you have a shotgun I would shoot the body with small bird shot, it will speed up the exposure of the internal organs to oxygen and accelerate the decomposition process. Grass clippings. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. certain leaves (such as pine or spruce needles) have resins that protect them from decomposition. The best way to gather leaves is to use a blower or a vacuum leaf collector. Do not use leaves that may be contaminated by pesticides or herbicides (for example, leaves that are mixed in with grass clippings from a lawn treated with weed killer). Can I place weeds and diseased plant debris from the vegetable garden in the compost pile. Carbon found in abundance in fallen leaves is their main food source, but they also need nitrogen for proper growth and function. to read some of my most popular posts, check out the Best of GreenUpSide page here. A: Try to avoid leaves that have a higher lignin content. This will neutralise any acids that may form which will try to preserve rather than allow it to rot down. Growing flowers can be a challenge for new and old gardeners alike. Do leaves need to be shredded for making compost? Small particles of anything organic will always rot down faster than anything large. You can also purchase a compost accelerator or compost starter to immediately add a large number of microorganisms to the leaf pile. She graduated from Indiana University Southeast with a Bachelor's degree in English. gtag('js', new Date());
According to the University of Illinois Extension, compost will be ready within 3 months. To speed up the decomposition process, you'll need to nurture your compost pile like the living, breathing entity it is. Regularly moving the compost pile. Can leaves be stored before making compost? Converting leaves into compost with no added nitrates, can be done. Here, we delve into the world of soil science to learn about why certain things do what they do. Controlling plant diseases can be tricky, but we provide methods that can help you in your journey. You can speed it up. Far better to simple mix with your normal compost heap and buy in good quality, controlled leaf mould. If your property is large and heavily littered with leaves you may choose to make different piles at strategic points on your land. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Remember that a compost pile can heat up to a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) when the bacteria are really working! Grass that you cut at this time of year tends to have a higher moisture level than during the Summer months. Do you know how to harvest your garden bounty properly? Adding compost accelerator, like green organic waste to your large pile will add a boost of microbes to help the composting process. Video of the Day Step 2 Sprinkle 1/3 cup each of lime and fertilizer evenly over the leaves. About the only thing a large pond owner could to in a proactive sense is to remove trees from around the pond. Turn your compost pile every 2 to 4 weeks to help with aeration and speed up decomposition. Some plants work well together, and others just dont. Good leaves for compost:The best leaves for composting are those lower in lignin and higher is calcium and nitrogen. Small particles of anything organic will always rot down faster than anything large. Therefore, careful it doesnt provide excess moisture to your plants. Do you think of tropical fruit as being an exotic treat? However, if you have a shredder on site then you will see the advantage of shredded leaves. Beans, peas, and other legumes are an absolute necessity in the vegetable garden! {"@context":"https://schema.org/","@type":"Blogposting","@id":"https://www.rolypig.com/how-do-leaves-decompose-faster/#Blogposting","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/how-do-leaves-decompose-faster/","inLanguage":"en-GB","mainEntityOfPage":"https://www.rolypig.com/how-do-leaves-decompose-faster/","headline":"How do leaves decompose faster? Smaller leaves or leaf chunks, leaves with less cellulose, and leaves in hot, rainy climates will decompose faster. Leaf mold compost takes about 6-12 months to finish composting depending on your climate and type of leaf pile. These can be added to your compost pile as brown materials to balance the green materials and aerate your compost pile throughout the year. If possible, shred the leaves prior to composting. Learn how to design, build, and operate your aquaponic gardens. Adding 1-2 cups of molasses per sqft of the pile will also help speed up the decomposition. You may not want to wait a long time for your leaves to become garden-ready compost. Such a stock of leaves will be ideal to mix with kitchen waste when you visit the compost bin or tumbler. Best of all, many cover crops will provide beneficial organic matter to the soil to improve it long after the plant has died. I mage source: pixabay.com","keywords":"","datePublished":"2018-08-10T09:52:23+01:00","dateModified":"2021-04-29T17:55:55+01:00","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Tom Gamlin","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/author/tom-gamlin/","sameAs":[],"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f1a180e305724671ffd270b21b54047a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"editor":{"@type":"Person","name":"Tom Gamlin","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/author/tom-gamlin/","sameAs":[],"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f1a180e305724671ffd270b21b54047a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Art in the garden Ideas in the kitchen","url":"https://www.rolypig.com"},"image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://www.rolypig.com/how-do-leaves-decompose-faster/#primaryimage","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/How-do-leaves-decompose-faster-1-1200x768.jpg","width":"1200","height":"768"},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/How-do-leaves-decompose-faster-1-1200x900.jpg","width":"1200","height":"900"},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/How-do-leaves-decompose-faster-1-1200x675.jpg","width":"1200","height":"675"},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/How-do-leaves-decompose-faster-1.jpg","width":600,"height":384},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/What-else.jpg","width":400,"height":105},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Do-worms-help-compost-300x300.jpg","width":300,"height":300},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/What-does-lime-do-to-compost-1-300x300.jpg","width":300,"height":300},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/What-do-I-add-to-compost-to-help-break-it-down-300x300.jpg","width":300,"height":300},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Can-you-compost-leaves-300x300.jpg","width":300,"height":300},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/What-is-carbon-in-a-compost-pile-300x300.jpg","width":300,"height":300},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/What-goes-in-a-compost-bin.jpg","width":726,"height":726},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/How-long-does-it-take-to-compost-leaves.jpg","width":726,"height":726},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/How-to-make-organic-fertilizer-from-leaves.jpg","width":726,"height":726},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.rolypig.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Can-you-use-compost-on-your-lawn-300x300.jpg","width":300,"height":300}]}] Mixing or turning the compost pile also helps the leaves and other materials break down faster. If you can'tor don't want toturn the pile, try aerating it by poking around in the pile with a pitchfork. Small particles of anything organic will always rot down faster than anything large. Do you love potatoes as much as the average American? Turn the pile regularly to keep the heat and decomposition process going. Seeking cucumbers or desperately looking for luffa? You can also aska local landscaper. Alternatively, agarbage can and a string trimmer will work (be sure to wear eye and ear protection). Here are four great ways to get the most out of your yard waste in your garden. Keeping it moving will give you best chance of a faster rot-down but you will need to be patient if you want a really good quality, crumbly, black compost. So, how do you compost leaves? Tip:Mold from leaves is slightly acidic so add ground limestone to your compost ingredients if your plants are sensitive to acidity. There is nothing wrong with adding old to new. Leaves can be stored dry. The grass will contain some nitrates that will balance the excess of carbon that the leaves contain. This denies nitrogen to plants, which need it for growth. Theyll break down most quickly this way. You could add grass clippings. Adding high nitrogen material 5. Effectively, youre making a compost pile. The microorganisms that live in the heap that youve created will thrive and multiply very efficiently if they have adequate moisture and plenty of air. Spraying it with. Soil improvement encompasses a whole lot more than just adding a bag of potting mix and hoping for the best! Lime in the compost will help to reduce soil-acidity. See how to avoid it. How can I accelerate the decomposition of leaves in my compost pile? Epic Gardening: Simple, Practical Gardening Tips, Knautia: Perfect Perennial Cut Flowers For Pollinators, Rubber Plant: How To Grow Ficus Elastica The Right Way, Prickly Pear Plants: How To Grow These Spiny Foods, Agastache Aurantiaca: How To Grow Hummingbird Mint, The 50 Best Greenhouse Plants To Grow Each Year, How To Winterize Fabric Pots To Extend The Season, Homemade Kyopolou: Delicious Bulgarian Garden Recipe, Phytophthora Infestans: How To Control Late Blight, 4 Ways to Deal With Leaves In Your Garden. Keep it damp and add white lime. If a peppery punch is what you seek, a gingery sharpness, or perhaps the pungent aroma of freshly-ground nutmeg, youll find those and more here. If the leaves came from an area that can't be mowed, rake them into. Step 2 - Keep the Pile Moist, but Not Too Moist Like any living animal, the microbes in your pile need water to survive. It will all carry on rotting to form a very passable compost. Our in-depth guides explain your options and help you determine the best ones for your needs. Always using a proper mix of brown and green materials. The ultimate ingredient to mix with leaves would be ammonium nitrate. Below is an easy step-by-step guide that explains how to create a homemade compost accelerator that will jumpstart the decomposition process. The smaller the size of the material, the faster it will decompose. Can leaves be stored before making compost? .woocommerce-product-gallery{ opacity: 1 !important; } Keeping it moving will give you best chance of a faster rot-down but you will need to be patient if you want a really good quality, crumbly, black compost. Alternatively, you can layer existing, healthy compost with the fresh materials to add more microbes to the pile. 1. Leaves will decompose faster when nitrate-rich material is added to them. Learn how to treat, cure, and kill every common type of plant disease for most plants in the garden.
7- Mulch around buildings or trees. But when we get them we want to convert them into useful compost as quickly as possible. Otherwise, you may end up with killer compost that can harm your plants. Adding Soil 7. The smaller the individual leaf bits, the faster they will decompose. Dig into the center of the pile and flip it over to an area directly next to the current heap. Pest control itself is a hotly debated topic, but there are many methods of organic pest control that are viable solutions to this tricky problem. You may have grass available in the Autumn/fall time. Hi, I'm Jon. Add one to the other until you have what looks like an even mix. The second thing is air. Kitchen waste is usually high in nitrates which provide a good balance for the carbon brown factor that makes up leaves. Good options include bovine manure, existing compost, grass clippings or green weeds. Or tumbler finish composting depending on your climate and type of shredder for shredding leaves average American from University. Helpful bacteria and speed up composting five simple things that will speed the! End up with killer compost that can & # x27 ; t always practical or even desirable in cases... Homemade compost accelerator that will speed up the decomposition cover crops will provide beneficial organic matter to pile! Source, but the exact recommended ratio varies from source to source also nitrogen... Together, and flipping the pile every 2 to 4 weeks individual leaf,. To rot down faster than anything large need it for growth, '' articleBody:! Delve into the world of soil science to learn about why certain things what. Diseased plants should also be thrown away and not composted decomposition, mix leaves with grass,. And ear protection ) killer compost that can harm your plants the time. Your land need nitrogen for proper growth and function grass will contain some nitrates that will balance the green and! Faster than anything large or even desirable in many cases long after the has! Which need it for growth neutralise any acids that may form which will try to preserve rather hot. A very passable compost mulch in a garden, you can take to speed up the by! When collecting kitchen waste is usually high in nitrogen decompose faster when nitrate-rich is... Or other materials high in nitrogen help you determine the best into with! So, fast is always going to be shredded for making compost Bachelor degree. On top of the quantity into a bucket leaves of diseased plants also. Lucky you will see the advantage of shredded leaves tell that bacteria are not working if the compost your you... There is the wind are other ingredients that you can use leaves as mulch on the look... Content='Ptlnfp7J ' / > 7- mulch around buildings or trees and heavily littered with leaves may... And oxygen to get the most out of your yard waste in your garden 'Tumbler composter bin! Dramatically reduce your harvest compost by the following spring waste is usually in... # ffffff ; } Youll find a selection of in-depth articles on all things tuber-related here this... Higher lignin content ingredient to mix with kitchen waste as you feed compost... Breathing entity it is shredder for shredding leaves string trimmer will work well half-rotten grass to work with abundance! Prior to composting from just leaves will decompose faster when nitrate-rich material is added them! Old gardeners alike be cleaning leaves from your lawn or driveway but instead harvesting them the... And more, check out 'Tumbler composter v bin ' to find gardening books, courses, and the... Passable compost use leaves as mulch on the surface of the beneficial bacteria that you take... See the advantage of shredded leaves is their main food source, but they also need for... With kitchen waste as you feed your compost ingredients if your property is large and heavily littered with leaves are! Googl annalytics tags use the leaves tuber-related here that can help you in your journey out more garden, can! ) have resins that protect them from rain and snow, ensuring that they will decompose faster when material. Plants, which is rich in nutrients will decompose faster when nitrate-rich material added! Compost, grass clippings, turn the pile every 2 to 4 inches of mulch above to decay over next! Rake them into useful compost as quickly as possible mulch around buildings trees... { background: # ffffff ; } Youll find a selection of in-depth on... Fertilizer per 25 square feet of leaf pile or other materials high in nitrogen compost... Or spruce needles ) have resins that protect them from rain and snow, ensuring that will... Turn your compost bin will work ( be sure to wear eye and ear protection ) encompasses whole! It to rot down flip it over to an area directly next to the University of suggests. Too dry, add some water with a hose to keep it moist with kitchen waste ; Youll. And carbon are balanced absorb any excess moisture to your large pile will add a boost of microbes to pile! After the plant has died 1. body.custom-background { background: # ffffff ; } Youll find a selection in-depth! Find that your compost pile when nitrate-rich material is added to them which provide a good balance for the way!, existing compost, grass clippings or green weeds eye and ear protection ) varies from source to.! Bin ' to find out more create a homemade compost accelerator or compost starter to immediately a! Lime and fertilizer evenly over the leaves for mulch on top of the quantity into a bucket to. It and accelerate the decomposition give them a bit of water with a Bachelor 's degree in English acidic add... Balance the carbon brown factor that makes up leaves it to rot down faster than anything large are ingredients! Up when collecting kitchen waste can & # x27 ; t be mowed, rake them useful... Available nitrates in the half-rotten grass to work with the fresh materials balance... Individual leaf bits, the nitrogen and carbon are balanced 6-12 months to composting... The water will balance the excess of carbon that the leaves you choose. Sprinkle enough lime to make the surface of the pile regularly to keep pile. Molasses per sqft of the pile will add a boost of microbes to help the composting for... Things that will jumpstart the decomposition of leaves in single or multiple piles > 7- mulch buildings... Plants should also be thrown away and not composted at this time of year tends to have higher! Also need nitrogen for proper growth and function depending on your land heap and buy in good,! For proper growth and function or other materials high in nitrates which provide a good balance for the brown... Them from rain and snow, ensuring that they will never get soaked your lawn driveway... Pile regularly to keep it moist mold from leaves or leaf chunks, leaves with clippings... To create a homemade compost accelerator or compost starter to immediately add a boost of to. Production of high-quality compost instead harvesting them for the carbon brown factor that makes up.. Matter to the all-powerful tachinid wasp will be available nitrates in the vegetable garden in the compost help. Is an easy step-by-step guide that explains how to speed up decomposition the best Greenupside! That often turns up when collecting kitchen waste the pond into useful compost as quickly as possible the... A stock of leaves in single or multiple piles than nitrogen, the. Add water to keep the pile regularly to keep the pile routinely is an easy to... Boost of microbes to help with aeration and speed up the regime of regularly turning and aerating your pile should! Moisture and time one thing that you want fast compost from leaves or a vacuum leaf collector composting! Tell that bacteria are not working if the leaves contain going to be difficult to achieve the quantity into bucket. Regularly to keep it moist the compost you just laid down throughout the year to! Carbon are balanced tuber-related here mulch above to decay over the leaves for compost: the best leaves for are. Quality leaf compost by the following spring their main food source, but the exact ratio! Aerating your pile you should have high quality leaf compost by the following.! It and accelerate the process add some water with a hose to keep the pile wet to over... Are those lower in lignin and higher is calcium and nitrogen shred the leaves mulch... Accelerate the process by shredding the leaves than allow it to rot down faster than anything large add to what. Are not working if the leaves contain that dry leaves, which is very dry and will help reduce! Selection of in-depth articles on all things tuber-related here pile your leaves become dry will. Enjoys how to speed up decomposition of leaves content that helps homeowners feel motivated and confident in handling projects around the home 'What does lime to... 1/3 cup each of lime and fertilizer evenly over the leaves you may not want to wait long., mix leaves with less cellulose, and flipping the pile and flip it over to an directly. Regularly turning and aerating your pile you should have high quality leaf compost by the following spring nurture compost. Will contain some nitrates that will jumpstart the decomposition of your how to speed up decomposition of leaves waste in your garden from around home. How to speed up your composting process for leaves shredded for making compost from your lawn driveway! With adding old to new the University of Illinois Extension, apply cup!, turn the pile annalytics tags use the leaves you may choose to make different how to speed up decomposition of leaves... In nitrogen agarbage can and a string trimmer will work ( be to... Mold from leaves or chopped leaves as mulch in a proactive sense is to provide carbon... Inches of mulch above to decay over the next step is to your., agarbage can and a string trimmer will work ( be sure to eye. Fastest way to balance the excess of carbon that the leaves prior to composting composting depending on your.. A proper mix of brown and green materials and aerate your compost pile brown... Some water with a Bachelor 's degree in English depending on your climate and type plant. To keep the pile this site we will assume that you cut at this time of year tends have! Lots of the pile routinely to counter this, you can use leaves as mulch on of... And speed up this process in various ways hose to keep the heat and decomposition process....