Composting Question

[mary]

I take my "vegtable scraps and so forth" and dig a shallow hole, dump them in, and cover them with dirt. Is this just as good as if I had a composting pile? I avoid the pile because I do not animals getting to it. My methods seems more efficient. Any opinions?

Thanks

Tom

[Phisherman]

That way works, but with a 3 or 4-foot heap of organic material bacterial action heats up the mass and quickly turns material into compost. If I buried my compost, I'd have a LOT of digging to do. I keep four compost piles going with no animal problems (we have lots of deer, possum, skunks, coons, rabbits, birds) and no problems with flies. The quick breakdown of material and heat makes no logical sense but it works almost like magic. I look at a compost pile like a living thing.

[Beecrofter]

There are two reasons for composting.

1 to return organic material and nutrients to the soil

2 to destroy pathogens and weed seeds

Any method will accomplish #1 some are more able to conserve nutrients

A fast hot compost will accomplish #2 usually one cubic yard or more

[Phisherman]

#3 to minimize use of the kitchen garbage disposal or to reduce amount of trash.

A hot compost will eat material a lot(!) faster than a "cold" compost.