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Avatar for RizzoR
Jun 16, 2023 5:48 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Ruthanna Rizzo
Philadelphia (Zone 7a)
Butterflies Cat Lover
Anyone do it? I've read articles that say you just basically burry compostable material. Anyone have pros, cons, advice or any input ?
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Jun 16, 2023 6:01 AM CST
Name: stone
near Macon Georgia (USA) (Zone 8a)
Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Plant Identifier
Yes.
When I have something that seems too yucky for the chickens, or the compost... It gets a burial...

The only 'problem' with compost burial is that it takes a little longer.
Not really a problem.
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Jun 16, 2023 9:04 AM CST
Name: Christie
Central Ohio 43016 (Zone 6a)
Plays on the water.
Amaryllis Permaculture Sempervivums Roses Bookworm Annuals
Composter Hybridizer Cat Lover Garden Ideas: Master Level
I have also buried stuff now and then - works fine.
Plant Dreams. Pull Weeds. Grow A Happy Life.
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Jun 16, 2023 9:17 AM CST
Name: Sally
central Maryland (Zone 7b)
See you in the funny papers!
Charter ATP Member Frogs and Toads Houseplants Keeper of Poultry Vegetable Grower Region: Maryland
Composter Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Region: United States of America Cat Lover Birds
I read an interesting critique recently that essentially said "composting" ( hot, layering, turning) is highly overrated as it is an artificial process. So, anything that gets the stuff rotten is fine to me as it adds organic nutrients to your piece of the earth. I'm for adding life, while stopping short of creating a nuisance situation. And im for less labor, let nature and time do the work.
Plant it and they will come.
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Jul 30, 2023 12:48 PM CST
Name: Lee-Roy
Bilzen, Belgium (Zone 8a)
Region: Belgium Composter Region: Europe Ferns Hostas Irises
Lilies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Decomposition will happen no matter matter what/where, as long as there is ample oxygen and moisture available. So burying it (not too deeply) is a good way to get it out of the way for whatever reason (yucky, smelly, little available space....).

Thing to keep in mind is that, if you're planning on burying a large volume of biowaste in one place, the level of the soil will drop over time with decomposition. So don't go planting trees on top of such a thing.
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Oct 26, 2023 5:24 AM CST
Name: Steve
Loomis, CA (Zone 9a)
Dahlias
In general, the aeration and churning of a compost pile help the bacteria do their job, but here are the pros and cons of ground composting by burying ( I do it with leaves every year. )
PROS
Ease of Set-Up - Just dig a hole and bury compostables without needing bins or piles.
Direct Soil Enrichment - Materials decompose and directly enrich the soil, improving its fertility.
Pest Reduction - Burying compostables reduces the risk of attracting pests.
Low Maintenance - Once items are buried, there's minimal upkeep compared to traditional composting methods.
CONS
Effort of Digging - Digging can be labor-intensive, especially in tough soils.
Slower Decomposition - Items might break down slower when buried compared to well-aerated piles.
Root Disturbance - Digging can disturb the roots of nearby plants.
Soil Disruption - Continuous digging might affect the soil structure and microbial balance.
I know I have dirt under my fingernails.
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Oct 26, 2023 5:48 AM CST
Name: Sally
central Maryland (Zone 7b)
See you in the funny papers!
Charter ATP Member Frogs and Toads Houseplants Keeper of Poultry Vegetable Grower Region: Maryland
Composter Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Region: United States of America Cat Lover Birds
Some good points, Steve.
In cleaning up the fall garden, I dig a few small areas and bury some of the more done stuff from my compost piles. if I plant over that right away, like radishes, I add some fertilizer mixed in with the surface, as most of my stuff at that point is cold brown leaf remains.

In planting hills of squash, I try to always bury a good pile of previous years compost- often, mostly brown leaves.

So here, I'm not exactly in-ground composting- I am in-ground finishing the process from months of above ground.

My biggest limiter to in ground composting is space- where I want most soil improvement, I am also trying to grow crops as much of the year as possible.
Plant it and they will come.
Avatar for RpR
Oct 26, 2023 5:34 PM CST
Name: Dr. Demento Jr.
Minnesota (Zone 3b)
I have/had two four by three by three piles of garden/kitchen debris in the North garden.
Before the rain hit I dug out a approx. four by four by sixteen foot hole in the one half of the garden and buried one pile.
By spring time, with rare exceptions, it will be decomposed, at minimum, that little if any is visible when roto-tilling in the spring. I tip my hat to you.
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Jun 6, 2024 12:58 PM CST
Name: UrbanWild
Kentucky (Zone 6b)
Kentucky - Plant Hardiness Zone 7a
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Birds Vegetable Grower Spiders! Organic Gardener Native Plants and Wildflowers
Hummingbirder Frogs and Toads Dog Lover Critters Allowed Butterflies Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
One of the methods I use is trench composting. I do this when starting new beds ( I have to remove contaminated soils) as well as all beds that will rest over the winter.

New beds are layered much like Hügelkultur beds but below surface level. All new beds are started this way and more added depending on needs over the next couple of years.

The resting beds get trenches cut into the existing soil as deep as I can comfortably make them, and then freshly spent brewery grain goes in the trench. I then cover the grain up with the soil I dug from the trench. If one doesn't cover spent grain get ready for odors for a few weeks.

Anyway, it does take longer than freshly mixing and aerating compost piles but I don't even do that in my own regular composting efforts so the extra time is expected here.

I do sometimes grow a few things on top of developing beds. If they don't do well, they become part of the soil anyway so no problem. Right now on two developing beds I have large pumpkin plants from pumpkins which were dumped on top of them last winter. I'm close to ripping them up and adding them as a layer because I have new stuff to add to those beds.
Always looking for interesting plants for pollinators and food! Bonus points for highly, and pleasantly scented plants.

"Si hortum in bibliotheca habes, nihil deerit." [“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”] -- Marcus Tullius Cicero in Ad Familiares IX, 4, to Varro. 46 BCE
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