you might think it is...
nope
but they charge you an arm and leg for it
when all the materials are essentially free
you take one part ground up leaves
run them over with the lawn mower
(just dont use oak leaves)
one part grass clippings
one part soil to introduce soil bacteria
(you can buy activator in a can too)
and one part manure of choice
Horse manure is always free !!!
you start the pile on top of some sticks to
allow air into the pile
then you make a 6 inch layer of each material
in the same order over and over until you
have a pile thats about 4 feet square by four feet high
you keep it watered so it's damp
like a squeezed out sponge
you can also insert a short length of perforated
drainage pipe in the center to add extra O2
and this makes the pile heat up quick
within 2 to 3 days it should be steaming
after four - six days if you shoved your hand
into the center of the pile
you'd get burned
it gets THAT hot ok 160 -180 degrees
in about ten days to 12 days
the pile will reduce in size due to decomposition
by about 1/3 .... and then start to
cool off
this is where you pitch fork the pile into
a second pile next to it trying to put the
outside to the middle so it'll heat up a 2nd time
water lightly (squeezed out sponge remember)
then you watch for steam again
and at the end of two- three weeks the pile
should be about
half the size now
(it might take a full month )
this is where you can sift out the finer stuff
through a 1/4 inch mesh screen and save the
the coarse materials for the next pile
if done right it should smell kinda sweet
you spread this on the lawn before a rain
or set up the sprinkler.....and then watch out
because your lawn will grow like magic beans
end of lesson
