Using a mower to "pre-mix" compost

Greetings everyone--

Thought I would share my favorite trick when my neighbors start looking at me with that "Mow your wierd hippie-lawn" look.  To make the task of carbon/nitrogen layering your compost pile easier, I just take a bunch of high carbon material (usually last year's fallen leaves) and scatter them on top of the grass right before I mow (often I just chuck piles around the yard).  Then I just mow it up, using the bag.  The mower does a marvelous job of mixing and shredding, and I basically have a compost pile that just needs a bit of water to really get it going.  Of course, removing the vegetation from the lawn in the first place might seem a bit unnecessary, but again--if you're worried about pleasing The Jones'--this method works like a charm.  And it's a way to make a lawnmower into less of a brutish, dirty machine and into more of a soil-creator.

Ryan

guess that would work..when I was reading the title to your post i was thinking, ah a bagger..yup..makes sense

You can also use the mower to shred large leaves.  Just stack them in a windrow in front of a solid fence or garage door, and mow them down.  Just make sure the blower is always facing the fence/door to keep them confined.

Sue