Composted All our Leaves, Finally

After starting the  process in 2010 to compost all our leaves, I finally achieved 100% composting of all the 2012 leaves from our yard.  There were three key elements that enabled us to compost about 45 bags of finely chopped leaves.

1. Mixing grass clippings with leaves.  This was my 2010 discovery for the composting process. By having a 3:1 mixture of leaves to grass clippings, the compost process was accelerated.
2. Saving uncomposted leaves until spring.  I was only able to compost about 35 bags of leaves with grass clippings from the fall. So we decided to save the 10 bags to mix with grass clippings from the spring 2013 grass cutting.   I addition, I also turned the compost pile from the fall and added new grass clippings.
3. Creating bigger piles.  I attended a composting class last fall and it provided students with wire fencing to create a 4 foot diameter and 4 foot high cylindrical composting volume.  This enabled me to create a much larger compost pile.

At this point, 100% of our leaves are in one of three compost piles.  My goal is to complete the composting by end of summer so that I have a clear area to do the fall 2013 composting.  If I continue, my goal is to the get all 45 bags from this fall into compost piles for the winter.

For more on New Beginnings, check back every Sunday for a new segment.

This is not financial or composting advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2013 Achievement Catalyst, LLC