Yesterday, when we shared our new composting bin, we incited a few questions about critters. One commenter asked, "If the wire is attached to the posts, how will you be able to move it to turn the pile?" As the commenter pointed out, the posts may not be necessary, but that's where said "sage advice" comes in.
Renee Studebaker, who writes the blog Renee's Roots, offers up this morsel:
If you want your compost pile to get hot (to kill weed seeds), and decompose asap, you must keep it moist and turn it often. But if you’d rather spend your time on other more fun things in the garden, you can just let your pile sit there, and eventually it will decompose. Turn it or stir it around every now and then, and it will decompose a little faster. During hot dry spells, you may notice that it’s going really slow — just add some water and it will get moving again. Add browns and greens as they’re available, and don’t worry too much about the ratios. Skinny stems and little branches are OK, but no big chunks of wood. ... Bury wet or stinky vegetable scraps in the middle of the pile, or cover with a sprinkling of soil and dead leaves.
We have to say, we like the way she thinks—especially as we wait for our own garden to take shape, it's nice to know that regardless of how our compost pile looks right now, it is working. Slowly but surely.
For more on Renee's laid-back approach to gardening, check out her blog here.
(Image: Flickr member suavehouse113, licensed under Creative Commons)
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Thank you so much. I'm composting for the first time this year, and I've been wondering when I'd start to see some movement away from orange peels and towards rich soil. Now I know!
Getting a big enough pile is crucial to see action. Once our pile got to over 3 feet tall, it composted much faster. My husband loves going out & giving it a good stir & turn every few days, so that speeds it along. Plus, even in the winter, you can still add veggie scraps. The pile could freeze up (depending where you live), but come spring time, it will start cooking!
Turning the pile is a lot of work. I agree that there are other things to do that are more fun. I just think you have limited your access to the pile, whether it's turn to turn it, or to use it, after it's ready.
I found a compost pile turner at McLendon's (a local hardware chain in the Pacific Northwest). It's basically a pole with two "arms" on the end - you jab it into the pile and the arms fold in, and when you pull it back out the arms come down. It's very easy to use and is so much better than using a shovel!