Drought + leach bed = compost

**llama momma** 7/23/2012, 1:47 pm

Just a reminder that even in this drought those of us with a leach bed can get some grass clippings for the compost heap.
Two rows were mowed here:
Drought + leach bed = compost 7-23-110

Moved onto the tarp it was 2-1/2 to 3 inches deep. It should dry in a couple days and get turned over a couple times. Then it'll be ready for the compost heap.
Drought + leach bed = compost 7-23-111

Triciasgarden 7/23/2012, 2:13 pm

I have a question, why would you dry the grass before putting it in the compost pile?

**Kelejan** 7/23/2012, 2:17 pm

Triciasgarden wrote:I have a question, why would you dry the grass before putting it in the compost pile?

Quick, someone answer this, please. I should know but I have forgotten why I do it myself.

While I think of it, I have access to organic grass clippings and I want to save them for the fall by drying rhwm. My question is: is it still a green, as I want to add them to my fall leaves. Very Happy

**llama momma** 7/23/2012, 2:22 pm

You dry it first to prevent it from turning into a moist slimy anaerobic mess.

**llama momma** 7/23/2012, 2:39 pm

Kelejan wrote:
Triciasgarden wrote:I have a question, why would you dry the grass before putting it in the compost pile?

Quick, someone answer this, please. I should know but I have forgotten why I do it myself.

While I think of it, I have access to organic grass clippings and I want to save them for the fall by drying rhwm. My question is: is it still a green, as I want to add them to my fall leaves.

Grass is considered a high nitrogen and leaves are considered a high carbohydrate.
My compost book says, .."dry the grass first, mound the dry clippings together and cover the pile with a waterproof tarp or other rain resistant cover. You can store dried clippings in a cardboard box or plastic garbage bag kept in a dry place. Dried clipping don't pack down and turn slimy the way fresh ones do, and they retain their nutrients in concentrated form. Be sure to add enough water to rehydrate the dried clipping when using them in your composting projects." I copied this out of the book, "The Complete Compost Gardening Guide" by Pleasant and Martin. Great book if you are interested in owning a copy, its about 20 dollars.

**Kelejan** 7/23/2012, 2:48 pm

Thank you so much, llama momma. So I am on the right track.
I generally bag at least thirty bags of leaves each fall, so now I can get a good start by drying the grass and any other greens ready to add to them so that they can compost all winter.
I should imagine that drying leaves such as cabbage etc. will be the same as drying grass.

**llama momma** 7/23/2012, 2:56 pm

I don't know about drying cabbage leaves.
I lay most of the larger stuff like that in front of the compost heap, take my shovel and chop away till I'm bored then toss it in. Now someone was just writing a post saying to keep cabbage or broccoli out of the compost heap to prevent club root later on. I haven't done that with my broccoli in the past it all went back in the compost. Sorry to confused the issue .... Embarassed

Triciasgarden 7/23/2012, 5:25 pm

llama momma wrote:
Kelejan wrote:
Triciasgarden wrote:I have a question, why would you dry the grass before putting it in the compost pile?

Quick, someone answer this, please. I should know but I have forgotten why I do it myself.

While I think of it, I have access to organic grass clippings and I want to save them for the fall by drying rhwm. My question is: is it still a green, as I want to add them to my fall leaves.

Grass is considered a high nitrogen and leaves are considered a high carbohydrate.
My compost book says, .."dry the grass first, mound the dry clippings together and cover the pile with a waterproof tarp or other rain resistant cover. You can store dried clippings in a cardboard box or plastic garbage bag kept in a dry place. Dried clipping don't pack down and turn slimy the way fresh ones do, and they retain their nutrients in concentrated form. Be sure to add enough water to rehydrate the dried clipping when using them in your composting projects." I copied this out of the book, "The Complete Compost Gardening Guide" by Pleasant and Martin. Great book if you are interested in owning a copy, its about 20 dollars.

Oh I hadn't thought about getting a book about composting, duh! Then I could learn a lot on something I don't know much about! silly me

**camprn** 7/23/2012, 6:29 pm

Triciasgarden wrote:

Oh I hadn't thought about getting a book about composting, duh! Then I could learn a lot on something I don't know much about!

Tricia, until you get a book, this will keep you busy. Wink

http://compost.css.cornell.edu/

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Drought + leach bed = compost

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