To Compost or To not compost...that is the question

12 years ago

I am a newbie gardener. OK actually I started 3 years ago but I tend to let it all die come July. This year I am determined to keep at it.

With the exception of my vegetable garden, my backyard is an overgrown mess! It was a rental property for 10 years before we bought it, and in the 5 years we've had it we haven't done much with it either. I have a ton of overgrown crappy trees (Hackberry or so I'm told) as well as a lot of fence line "volunteer saplings" from the birds eating and pooping out the hackberries. I would like to start cutting it all back or get rid of it all together (depending on the size of the tree...I don't think I could get the big ones cut down.).

I bought a chainsaw and started whacking down limbs (my husband just shakes his head and tells me to be careful). It was then that I realized (OK...I don't always think things through)I am going to have to do something with all of these limbs. Bulk trash for the month just passed so unless I call someone to haul it all away, I'm stuck until next month. Needless to say I stopped cutting things down for the day.

THEN I started wondering...I have been wanting to start a compost bin this fall. I don't have access currently to much in the way of "browns" currently and thought I'd collect leaves this fall. From the little bit of reading I've done, I think wood chips would be brown. Right?

Is it feasible to cut a lot of it and then rent a wood chipper from Home Depot? Is that something that is feasible?

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Comments (6)

tn_gardening
12 years ago
I'd be more inclined to use the wood shavings for mulch.

Compost happens, but I suspect the wood shavings would take a long time to break down. Doesn't mean I wouldn't pile em up and try to get them to decompose, I simply wouldn't expect to use them next Spring.

What about using newspapers?
mustard_seeds
12 years ago
definitely COMPOST :)

Sounds like you have a lot of work cleaning things up - personally, I would save the branches in a pile and wait for the monthly pickup - I assume that the city uses them for energy or mulch, and they have big chippers that make easy work of it. Renting a chipper will get you most likely a crappy chipper and is a lot of work. Chips are awesome for mulching path or around trees/shrubs, but not so easy for composting in a newbie pile. You should focus on browns like paper from junk mail, cardboard, newspaper, and FALL LEAVES. Add kitchen wastes and green softer garden waste and water and you will have good fixings for a compost heap. Lots of info in this forum of ratios and such, but I just wanted to vote that you can start your compost now, do not have to wait until fall, but maybe not try to use the limbs from your trees as a newbie. Hey you are on the right track thinking about all of this. Work on small areas, and careful with that chainsaw!! Rachel

ps - are you allowed to pick up wood chips from the city for direct mulching around woody plants and paths? This is great if you have access!
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luckygal
12 years ago
Just a suggestion since you seem to be on a roll! Pile up those branches for bulk pickup next month and get yourself a weedwhacker for the smaller stuff. You can either leave it in place to decompose naturally or rake up and start your compost pile now! Save all your kitchen scraps (and eat lots of fresh veggies so you have lots) and by fall you will have a great start on your compost.

You *go* girl!!! I love your enthusiasm altho ditto your DH's advice to be careful with that chainsaw. Please let us know how it's going and you know we also love pictures!
Kimmsr
12 years ago
The C:N ratio of wood chips varies depending on age and from where in the tree they came. It can be anywhere from 25 to 0.1 to 50 to 0.1 and if green leaves are mixed in that changes considerably. I have seen piles of wood chips from freshly cut trees in the spring and summer heat up quite fast and get quite hot while piles of wood chips cut in the fall and winter will not heat up, because of the lack of moisture as well as lack of Nitrogen.
When you chip that wood will determine whether as well as how much moisture and Nitrogen you need to add to compost them.
connie_cola
12 years ago
After I cut down branches, I pull off the leaves or cut them off & put them into the compost. Then there's less bulk to haul away. I don't have hackberry trees, I have maple and sweet gum.
jolj
12 years ago
Cold Compost, at least.
It is easy, pile garden waste up in the corner & use it in the Spring or Fall next year.

To Compost or To not compost...that is the question

Comments (6)

tn_gardening

mustard_seeds

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