Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
As for how long you will have to wait before you get great compost for your efforts, I'm
afraid there is no definite answer! This is because of several factors that will influence the
time it takes for the material to break down.
• The actual material itself - grass cuttings break down faster than fallen
leaves for instance which can certainly take over 1 year and need a fair
amount of turning.
• The amount of nitrogen in the mix. Low nitrogen-rich plants or lack of
manure will slow down the process.
• Ventilation. A well ventilated composter will work much faster than one
that does not allow for an adequate flow of air.
• Turning your compost regularly will increase the composting process.
• Moisture content is also very important in speeding up the process. The
compost should be damp like a wrung-out cloth in order to operate prop-
erly.
Withallthatsaid;ingeneraltermsroughmulchingcompost,idealforsettingaroundshrubs
and bushes, or putting in the bottom of a planting hole, can usually be achieved in 3-4
months.
A smoother compost, for adding to your SFG or growing seedlings for instance, will usu-
allytakenolessthan6monthstoachieve-usuallymuchlonger.Ifconditionsarenotideal
then composting can take several years to achieve; making it worth that little bit extra ef-
fort to speed up the process!
Composting Materials Time-line:
Here is a short list of composting materials and the time taken to compost in ideal condi-
tions.
Materials taking 6 months +
Kitchen vegetable trimmings (beware - stems and stalks take 2-3 years or more), annual
weeds, fruit peel, lawn trimmings (no more than 15cm thick).
Material taking 1 - 2 years
Hedge clippings and prunings (except conifers and evergreens which will take more than 3
years to break down completely), paper and cardboard, autumn leaves.
Material taking 3 years +
Thickstalksandstemsofplants,evergreensincludinghollyorconifers,eggshells,sawdust
& wood shavings, or thick layers of grass clippings.
Any other organic material that is large and bulky will naturally take longer to compost.
