How to Compost Leaves Fast

Overview

If you have plans to start a garden before the leaves you have composted will be ready, there is a way to speed up the process. Normally, leaves take around three months to compost in an exposed pile. However, by composting your leaves in a bin instead of a pile, you can considerably cut down on your compost time. Depending on the size of the pile and the climate, you can turn your leaves into usable compost in as little as one month.

Step 1

Fill your compost bin with enough material to take up at least 3/4 of the bin. If you do not have enough leaves, look for other carbon-rich materials such as garden waste or vegetables and fruits.

Step 2

Break all compost material into very small pieces to speed the decomposition process.

Step 3

Add enough water to the compost pile to make it damp. Leave it to compost for four days.

Step 4

Add a compost accelarant to the pile according to the manufacturer's instructions for the size of your pile.

Step 5

Turn the pile every two days until the leaves have turned into brown or black crumbly compost.