Mixing leaves in soil, and using right away

[DirtMechanic]

Yeah, so be real careful about ammonia quantity relative to your size of pile. It is hot nitrogen, ready to go. Spread it around. Figure a gallon to be worth a half pound N and you wont poison the pile if its bigger. Mine sits on 5 air pipes 10 feet long and I use a gallon sometimes in the winter when the leaves have come down and the pile is chest high or so. But you have to have a moist pile inside. Mostly I just pee on it. It is a better use of beer.

Interestingly proteins usually show up at 5-6% Nitrogen. Soy bean meal for example has a high enough protein content to be used as a mild N fertilizer, so if you have a resource for protein laden veg throw it in there too. The proteins also break down into their building blocks of amino acids, and that makes a good compost.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Bread Makers and Mash or Beer Makers occasionally use Amylase Enzymes to convert more starch to sugar. 2.5ml per 20 Liters water is a reasonable rate for starting with the powder. I wonder if it would speed up leaf digestion? My garden is full of fall leaves

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I have been digging a trench, filling it with wood, then putting a good laver of dead leaves and twigs on it before putting the earth back.