I am considering a Mantis 22 cubic foot tumbler to make compost. Whatever the reason, with soil and compost included there is no need for supplemental feeding. At the edge of the yard was filled with blackberry bushes, poison ivy, and “stranglers” and trees. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some good choices include shredded newspapers, ripped up cardboard, leaves, and compost. I have tons of oak leaves (50) bags each year that I give to the city. I have a lot of oaks which are slow to decompose. could be a problem. Walnut leaves do also include juglone, the same toxic chemical as the root.​ Yew plants are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of this chemical. I have a large area on which I’ve used mulch to keep weeds down. Though I put leftover coffee, beer, and juice in the bin, the materials soaked the liquids up so the drainage port went unused. Science fair projects, science fair ideas, and science experiments at Science Fair Adventure, where we make science fun! Turn your pile 1-2 times a week. I wish I knew how to add pics on here, you’d see me on an 8 ft ladder tying up vines lol. One other shrub doesn’t have any walnut mulch under it, and seems to be okay so far. A circular bin made with chicken wire or snow fencing is cheap and simple to make. Don't kill trees to collect leaves! But making leaf compost isn’t as easy as piling up a bunch of leaves and spreading them in the garden the following spring. Also, shredded leaves will not inhibit the spring soil warming process as much. So adding in some green will get it going right away. Yes, they’ll lose some of their nutritional benefit through leaching and off-gassing. (See: The Greens & Browns Of Composting) Getting The Right Mix. Leaf mold is not as rich in nutrient value as completely composted leaves but it is easier and quicker to make. Supplement to bring soil pH in line with your plants’ needs. Here are four great ways to get the most out of your leaves in your garden. Covering bare soil with leaves over the winter (such as unused vegetable gardens) will protect the soil from heavy rains and winds that may erode the soil and leach out important nutrients. What’s the scoop on all this, please? Unshredded leaves left to mold will pack tightly in layers, delaying the molding process sometime for as much as two or three years. Leaves contain varying amounts of lignin. Everything along with kitchen waste goes into a big wire bin. But if you have the space and time, then leaves can be a great way to make extra compost for your garden. NO tools required! I figured it wasn’t enough to harm anything, since I started with pure sand last year, and adding all things to make it plantable. The wood is being ground into mulch piles and being turned as well to standards. Again, because of their availability, it’s tempting to construct very large piles. Mushroom compost itself is not a suitable replacement for soil. When you save certain organic items meant for the trash—such as banana peels, apple cores, leaves, and grass clippings—you can turn them into a nutrient-rich medium that will transform your garden. Under bright light, and with a magnifying glass, you can spot a hair-like fuzz that is white, brown, green, gray, or black. https://www.planetnatural.com/composting-101/c-n-ratio/. Because leaves are often available in such large quantities, it is impractical to expect your compost tumbler to consume all of them. If this is being done in accordance with state regulations, the air should be safe, although noxious and unpleasant-smelling. Chopping and mixing leaves with other brown and green ingredients will speed decomposition by four times. Recover for the winter. Five parts leaves to one part manure will get your compost pile up and hot. The Green Cone Food Waste Digester has been designed to break down these materials in a safe way. Maintaining correct carbon-to-nitrogen ratios is not always easy. Making leaf mold—crumbly decomposed leaves—is an easy way to capture the nutrients found in dead leaves without the bother of balancing or turning a compost pile. Be sure that the pile has access to air. Hair and egg shells are “greens.” Coffee grounds (and filters) are brown, and we have plenty of those, too. Learn to take advantage of this free source of goodness for your garden. The lid was a pain to open and close, and everything inside smelled awful. And they provide the perfect nutrition for beneficial microbes.