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Making Leafmould in a compost tumbler?
StephenSouthwest
Posts: 635
Hi all,
I've inherited a large compost tumbler, and at the moment I can manage my compost without it. The space I would put it in is where I currently have the leafmould in a white 1 tonne builders bag, which works ok, but isn't ideal.
It's been suggested that, for now at least, I make leafmould in the tumbler.
It'll be neater, make it easier to get out (just park the barrow under it and open the door), stop it from drying out, and enable it to be aerated (is that helpful for the leafmoulding process?)
Any thoughts?
Cheers, Stephen
0
Posts
An open container, so that they get moisture, and plenty of air, is the best method. They also take longer [generally] than the usual stuff we put in compost bins. Turning/forking the contents of the containers can help speed things up a bit, and the bigger the pile, the better too. Builders bags are ideal, but so are black bin bags with holes.
You could shred them and then put them in the composter I expect, but they won't break down well if they're dry, so you'd have to make sure the method you intend was suitable.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Compost is made by bacterial action.
Fungi need stationary material.
If you're tumbling leaves, you're composting it, NOT making leafmould
You'd be as well just using it as intended @StephenSouthwest - ie a compost bin, and adding more composting material along with the leaves. Unless you have a huge amount, in which case it's not really viable for making proper leaf mould.
You can add leaves to compost bins anyway, although it helps to shred them as some take far longer to break down. That's another reason for having separate heaps for the two things.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
The problem with it being off the ground is that the material you add is reliant on whatever is in it already, in terms of the fungi or insect life etc, so that will alter the end result and how quickly it happens.
Making compost in those is easier because presumably there's more heat created, so the usual compost material breaks down more quickly, and of course - mixing it is much easier than a standard bin, so I expect that certainly helps. I've never used one.
For leaf mould, a bag or box open to the ground means it's easier for the natural processes to happen, simply because 'stuff' can get in, and the mix generally stays damper. A plastic bin doesn't allow for airflow that leaves need, or extra, natural, moisture whereas a cage or builder's bag does, and bog standard plastic bags need holes to allow all that too. I find those best, and you can just lift them and give them a shake to keep the contents mixed evenly, which I feel [maybe incorrectly] helps the process along. They tend to be pretty wet when I collect them, so a quick shuffle distributes the moisture if the top layers are getting drier, but that only happens if they're under trees, and even then, moisture usually gets in well enough here.
I've used 3 different ways of doing leaf mould - the wire cage, builders' bags and plastic bags. The ordinary plastic bags produce the quickest leaf mould for me, but I don't know if that's because the amount is smaller. The cages are ideal as you can just leave them, but it depends on the room you have, and the climate. I don't worry about them drying out, but many people find that happens.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...