Composting volumes of veggies

[GregD]

Here in our community we have 2 organic food stores. Each day the folks in the produce department goes through their veggies and cuts off bad leaves, pitches older product, and fills a large box that goes out next to the dumpster. We average at least 2-3 boxes (apple or banana boxes) full of organic veggie remains for composting each week. In the past few days my timing has been such that I suddenly scored 6 such boxes ready for the compost pile. I'm not only able to compost this stuff very quickly, the amount of space it is consuming is growing rapidly out of control.

Presently the compost pile is formed from pallets assembled in the shape of an "E". Pallets form the rear and side walls, with a divider projecting from the middle (see below). I did that last weekend because the pile in an empty section of the garden had been growing at such a pace that it was getting kinda nuts. But with this new arrival of 6 more boxes, the storage space for composting has yet again outgrown the space we set aside. I have more space, but not sure what is best to do next.

What is the most effective way to compost this material? I can add more pallets, thus expanding the space that contains the piles, but are there better ways to compost large amounts of material?

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Also, I have a lot of lawn clippings and oak leaves. Any ideas on accelerating the composting of all that?

[Gormy Cuss]

1. Aeration and a balance of brown and green materials.

Be careful with lawn clippings. They have a tendency to form a slimy mass if you add more than a thin layer at a time.

A good fork is all you need to keep the pile aeration if it's cooking at a good pace. There are specialized forks for compost piles too.


You may want to add another bin at the end of your E and move one of the piles there. Use the middle bin for turning. Move a pile from one of the end bins to the middle bin using a fork and shovel, then move it back. By turning a pile occasionally you will aerate it, have a chance to check for balance and moisture and most of all, gain access to the finished compost at the bottom. Be sure to top off the still-cooking pile with some finished compost -- that helps it cook down faster.

It takes a bit of time to figure out the right timing for your bins, but then it becomes second nature. You'll notice that greens (lettuce to kale) and rotting stone fruit break down rapidly, while cabbage family cores and stalks take a while.

Here's one randomly selected composting page, but it explains the basics
http://vegweb.com/composting/how-to.shtml

[GregD]

2. Excellent idea about the turning bin. Thanks!

[GardeningGal]

3. The smaller the pieces, the quicker the process.

That's why it's best to shred your leaves and chop any veggie remains into smaller pieces.