Different types of composting machines

[Carey]

Mark, did a research paper on Uluhe fern understory... seems that their lack of efficient decomposing is one of their attributes in the Hawaiian forests... the stem tangle keeps much of the organic matter up, & the nutrients rain down on the ground as the matter decomposes in air... not a fast soil building system, but faster nutrient transfer to the Uluhe...

[MarkP]

Finally! I knew there had to be something unique going on (with the ferns. Me being at a loss is not that unique).

[Chuysmom]

So for several months I have been layering green and brown...I only compost things that are NOT meat, oil, etc...keeps the rats away - also we have many wonderful cats that adopted our lot before we bought it!

I bring home huge bags of shred from work and use that too. Sometimes leaves and clippings, etc.

So here's my question - do I need to get in there and turn it? I have just been adding to it for months, 'cause I'm told with our wonderful rain, etc. nature will compost it all by itself. I don't really want to buy a composter so just trying an open compost pile.

[?]

Carrie Rojo

"Every area of trouble gives out a ray of hope; and the one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable."
-- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

[MarkP]

I have read that piles less than 6' across will get enough air through them so as to not go anaerobic as long as they are built right with no impervious layers of matted grass etc. Therefor you could just let the pile sit until it rots away. The results will be indistinguishable from more intensive composting. If you want fast composting, turn it.