[Elizabeth]

You can use a lawn mower, string trimmer, or leaf shredder to chop up plant material. I would think the lawn mower would be the cheapest way to shred, since you probably already have one. You might need to raise the mower's cutting height and then just run over the material a few times.

[produce guy]

I got one of these compost tumblers one year from a friend who was going over seas and wanted me to make compost for him.I stuck all the grass trimmings that the neighbors put out by the curb along with leaves and egg shells and lots of coffee grounds,along with some water and worms,the kind you buy off the internet.mixed them all up turned the handle evry other day and in about 5-6 months I had compost.If you want the worms to live longer ,don't leave yor tumbler out in the sun like I did,other than that it works really well,but it's to pricey for me.

[Eric Vinje]

Hi Verne –

Shredding will help the composting microbes break down the material and speed up the decomposition process. You can use a chipper for wood or a paper or leaf shredder for leaves, pine needles, or paper items. For food, some use a food processor or blender, or they’ll toss everything onto the lawn and run a power mower over it a few times. With that said, unless you’re trying to win the award for fastest compost ever, there’s little point in shredding this fine. Save the energy and let the pile do the work!

Hope this helps!

[Author]

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