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Composting

2Goats

2Goats

So I e been preparing my compost for next seasons grow, removing vegetation, placing leaves, lawn clippings and such into my compost. When I pull plants I shake out the roots and throw the rootball into my green waste bin and then I dig out my soil and break up roots and remove larger roots to be placed into green waste bin as well. All the smaller, finer roots usually go into my compost. So I was wondering, would it benefit at all to break-up the root balls and instead if placing them into my compost?
Usually when Im using my composted soil at the beginning of the season there are still roots not completely broken down, it doesnt necessarily bother me to have them in there but they're small.
I guess I was reLly wondering at what extent most go to with their compost and what most growers do with their roots.
 
2Goats said:
So I e been preparing my compost for next seasons grow, removing vegetation, placing leaves, lawn clippings and such into my compost. When I pull plants I shake out the roots and throw the rootball into my green waste bin and then I dig out my soil and break up roots and remove larger roots to be placed into green waste bin as well. All the smaller, finer roots usually go into my compost. So I was wondering, would it benefit at all to break-up the root balls and instead if placing them into my compost?
Usually when Im using my composted soil at the beginning of the season there are still roots not completely broken down, it doesnt necessarily bother me to have them in there but they're small.
I guess I was reLly wondering at what extent most go to with their compost and what most growers do with their roots.
Click to expand...
 
I just leave the rootball as is other than cutting off the main stem at ground level for myself. Its organic and will  break down eventually. The next planting if its still there I plant on the side of it. It all adds to the soil food web in the end. Decaying is what feeds the web.
 
Right-on, I appreciate the reply organic pepper. My yard is pretty small and I grow in raised beds/boxes so I take all my soil and vegetation and mix together into a compost pile on the side of my home at the end of the season, otherwise I would try what you do.
Ive been growing for awhile but I still have so much to learn both with organics and synthetics.
Thanks again!
 
I usually run most things through my chipper/shredder and then into the compost bin it goes.
Chopping things up as small as possible will cause more surface area to be exposed to the organisms that break it down. 
If you have enough of a nitrogen source the pile will heat up and break down things faster.
At least that is how it goes in my Smith & Hawken compost bin.
 
A small bottle of any of the enzyme products you find in your greasy neighbourhood grow store will break down any old roots quite quickly. Not really a fan of using their Kool-Aid bottles, but I've been thinking more about it lately. Faster turnover of pots, faster available nutrients for no-till/recycling.
 
Great advice ya'll, mucho appreciated!
Also looking into picking up some chicken and cow manure to mix in with our compost.
 
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