I have always thought that if it has died (like fallen leaves, or the big fall clean-up), it's a brown, and if it was "killed" (mown grass, growth you cut back) it's a green. I am also interested in the answer to your question, as I'd like to know if I've been mistaken all this time.

IF you have enuff of the corn stalks (or husks) piled and watered so just moist it will heat up just fine in a day or so. So you won't have to do any math ;-)

Oh come on, gumby! You can do better 'n' that....

I have no clue what that is sposed to mean - can I buy a vowel?

Simply means this.... Without having enough stalks to produce 3x3x3 mass, should more greens be added or more browns.... Or is it age dependent on the dryness of the stalk??

Like tree leaves the Carbon to Nitrogen ratio of corn stalks ranges from 40 to 80 to 1. The major problem with composting corn stalks is the density of the stalks, they need to be chopped fairly finely to be digested in a timely fashion.

kimmq is kimmsr

Say what you mean - mean what you say. Gumby said it.

Thanks for looking it up kimmq. I would have guessed they were a 'weak green' with a little lower ratio than that. So they would not require a lot of browns, or any.

I wonder if those numbers all around the web for 'corn stalks' are for brown ones or fresh green ones? I looked at several sites and none of them actually say.

If you look up corn stover on Wikipedia, it can be used for fodder, but that includes the leaves and leftover kernels and whatnot. And it also degrades quickly (for use as fodder) and has a fairly high cellulose and lignin content. So overall I would say a brown and as others noted, may need to be chopped up or crushed to decompose quickly. Lignin in particular needs air. That said, leftover lignin is mostly good for soil.

I had approx 2 cubic yards of green cornstalks and treated them as I would a green--mixed with an equal volume of leaves and woodchips. I recall this was around August. The pile got hot as heck and by November, there was no trace if them. I didn't chop or shred or anything-whole green cornstalks. I turned it once or twice.

Good info given, thanks for your replies.

No offense meant to you, Gumby. I respect your opinion but was interested in more specific facts than...a generic "pile em up, they will produce heat in a day or two" type of response

I guess it was the course I took in "Effective Communication" that helps me get to the point. Just like rayzone said. Hey don't blame me if just adding water is not enuff for you.

People in gardening seem to want a "cake bake recipe" when what they need is real hands on experience.

Composting is to me just as, if not more, recipe dependent as cake baking.

There ya go. Just add water - that is all mother nature ever does ;-)

unfortunately, your effective communication teacher has failed you. My question was about corn stalks in compost and you digress into cake baking? I indeed have plenty of experience composting and gardening. A question came to mind and i asked "the panel" for their input.

Come on man, stay on track.

Oh come on, ryan8king! You can do better 'n' that....

NO! This compost is not the same as a cake recipe... talk about communication problems! What a ridiculous thing to say!...

Cornbread maybe, yeah, but cake?! Where do you people get this stuff from? :-D

Cake is actually one type of food that is very sensitive to recipe proportions. I'm not sure it's the best analogy. Cornbread, yes. :-D

Composting is more like the way Italian moms cook. A little of this, a little of that, some pasta water, adjust the seasoning, then let it simmer.

So the cake recipe proved to be too confusing for some here. It was an expression that in days gone by meant "easy" or "anyone can do it". I won't even try "easy as pie".

Can we use a Betty Crocker recipe or Gumby's just add water? Both too confusing?

So let's try the "Easy Bake Oven". But somewhere we need to squeeze some water in there but just a spray. Oh well, I tried.

Riveting comentary. Please elaborate more. Your in depth knowledge of the Easy Bake Oven as it aplies to the home gardener is quite compelling.

As an aside, compose your sarcasm...your d?psh?t is showing. (Yes you may buy a vowel)

Check your medication - your mood swings from this <No offense meant to you, Gumby. I respect your opinion> to talking about others sarcasm?

Which makes me ask why someone who declares <I indeed have plenty of experience composting and gardening.> would ask this question to begin with? Then not accept that you need only to add water to heat up your corn stalks.

It will work with a small (very small) pile of grass clippings also. Just add the water, sparingly. Maybe you should pick up a compost thermometer to help.

@ Gumby : enough of the back and forth banter. Appreciate the intellectual stimulation.

@ rgreen : I see what ya did there! +1 Bonus point for the witty "corn"bread pun.

@ "the panel of contributors" : thanks for your insights, experiences, and for sharing your research conclusions.

Now, a good cornbread salad - that can't be beat!

I truly hope no one goes away from this with their undergarments bunched. It would be a sad thing for that to happen over compost, when there are so many actual problems in the world to fight about. :-D

Not to mention so much cornbread salad to make and eat.

Last years corn patch, 20' x 30', after being harvested was run over twice with my 1986 Troybilt tiller. First pass at 3" deep - 2 pounds of alfalfa pellets tossed around - 2nd pass at 6" deep. Composted right in the garden soil and planted 2 weeks later to fall garden. Every year seems to get better if we have enough rain. This is NC - zone 7.