I always read about "layering" when I read about composting.
"Put down 3" of browns, 3" of greens, then sprinkle with water and (fill in the blank).
Repeat with more layers until the pile is 4 feet tall."
But when I do it, I mix things well as I go, figuring that a microbe a few microns long is not going to commute very easily over a 3" distance to get everything it needs.
Does anyone know an actual REASON for layering?
Such as "the browns let more air in if they are not mixed up with greens".
Or are these authors all assuming that it's much
easier to throw down a lot of one thing before switching over to another thing, and relying on subsequent pile-turning to do the mixing that is required for fast decomposition?
This source is typical: it says to "layer", but not why, unless it's just to have a layer of brown on top and sides to hide the foody stuff from critters.
http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/co...
P.S. Maybe insects, worms, etc like variety, and burrow back and forth between layers for some insect-psychological reason?
Wikipedia says that many organisms larger than bacteria are involved:
Bacteria- The most numerous of all the micro organisms found in compost.
Actinobacteria- Necessary for breaking down paper products such as newspaper, bark, etc.
Fungi- Molds and yeast help break down materials that bacteria cannot, especially lignin in woody material.
Protozoa- Help consume bacteria, fungi and micro organic particulates.
Rotifers- Rotifers help control populations of bacteria and small protozoans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...
P.P.P.S. Here's a nice collection of composting info from Cornell, addressing commercial, municipal and home composting:
http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/fa...
