Catch 22 Composting

[jthornton]

BUT in the warm months when you've got grass and clippings galore you can still add carbon-rich paper and cardboard to balance it out.

How do you break down the cardboard and paper or do you not bother?

JT

 

[IamRainey]

You can tear or slice it into manageable size pieces and throw it on the pile.

 

[jthornton]

You can tear or slice it into manageable size pieces and throw it on the pile.

That's better than the first idea that popped into my head to put my redneck grass catcher on the rider and run over the cardboard till it's all mulched up... it does work well even if you have to empty it pretty often as the grass is usually too high.


JT

 

[IamRainey]

You make a good point, cmom. Simple piles are all it takes. Also piling up against a wall can be effective. Or in an interior corner created by 2 walls. I use plastic "walls" similar to these. ...altho I got mine 20 years ago for about $10. I screw 2 or 3 of them together to get mass.

The thing is you want to situate your piles close enough to trek out to but far enough away that you don't see or smell them. Near a chicken coop is a great place.

 

[aart]

That's better than the first idea that popped into my head to put my redneck grass catcher on the rider and run over the cardboard till it's all mulched up

how does it (the cardboard) look after that process?

 

[jthornton]

how does it (the cardboard) look after that process?

I've not tried it yet with cardboard but with grass it works well.

JT

 

[aart]

I've not tried it yet with cardboard but with grass it works well.

JT

Ohhh..... thought you'd already done it.
I've chopped up straw with my walking mower.
Wasn't incredibly efficient.
Didn't work worthadamn!

 

[jthornton]

Ohhh..... thought you'd already done it.
I've chopped up straw with my walking mower.
Wasn't incredibly efficient.

That's good info to know, did you have a mulching blade on the mower?

JT

 

[aart]

That's good info to know, did you have a mulching blade on the mower?

Hmmm, no.....but really don't recommend it.

Ohhh..... thought you'd already done it.
I've chopped up straw with my walking mower.
Wasn't incredibly efficient.

Let me change that to.....Didn't work worthadamn!

 

[jthornton]

Just reviewing this again and doing some mental calculations and in the past I was way short on carbon in the compost piles. One did manage to compost and I used it this spring in the raised beds. The sawdust I now have a home for it and started to sprinkle some in each compost bin and turn it. Bins 2 and 3 do smell good since I added the grass a month or more back and you can feel the heat from them.

Thanks for all the input on this subject, I feel I have a much better idea what to do now.
JT