Let It Rot: The Gardener's Guide to Composting

by Stu Campbell

Overview

In 1975, Let it Rot! helped start the composting movement and taught gardeners everywhere how to recycle waste to create soil-nourishing compost. Contains advice for starting and maintaining a composting system, building bins, and using compost. Third Edition. 318,000 copies in print.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580170239
Publisher:	Storey Books
Publication date:	01/03/1998
Series:	Storey's Down-To-Earth Guides Ser.
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	153,162
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.46(d)

About the Author

The late Stu Campbell lived and gardened in Stowe, Vermont. He was the author of Let It Rot!, a guide to home composting with over 340,000 copies in print; Mulch It!; and The Home Water Supply.

Table of Contents

1 Home Composting: Art or Science?

2 Why Compost?

3 How Decomposition Works

4 Compostable Materials Are All Around You

5 Activators Get Things Cooking!

6 Composting Methods to Stimulate Your Imagination

7 Bins, Barrels, and Tumblers

8 What to Consider Before Building a Compost Pile

9 Methods to Speed Decomposition

10 Composting Concerns

11 The End Product and How to Use It

12 The Times, They Are A-Changin'

Sources

Suggested Reading

Index

Editorial Reviews

…the composter’s bible…Let It Rot will change the way you look at your garbage.” – Horticulture Review

“A good general book for setting up a composting system.” — Natural Health

“This is the book we most often use in our composting classes at the Garden. The content is excellent, easy, and entertaining to read.” – Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Plants & Gardens News

“The little classic that introduced thousands to composting.” – The Boston Globe

“An excellent paperback book … an easy read with plenty of clear advice.” –The Cincinnati Enquirer

“The best book on composting I’ve found.” — Howard Garrett in The Dallas Morning News

“…perhaps the most comprehensive book available on composting …from a publisher that all serious gardeners should know about.” – Marke Andrews in the Vancouver Sun

“Campbell is an experienced gardener and the book goes in to great detail but the text remains clear and interesting.” – Library Journal

“This paperback thoroughly covers the subject, touching on various composting methods, types of containers, where to locate the compost heap, procedures and what to do with the finished product.” –Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“…the composting stand-by…” – Salt Lake City Tribune

From the Publisher

A readable, quietly humorous introduction to composting, this covers reasons to compost; differing approaches; how decomposition works; various methods, ingredients, and containers; how to speed decomposition; and how to use the end result. Campbell is an experienced gardener, and the book goes into great detail, but the text remains clear and interesting. The simple black-and-white illustrations vary between decorative sketches and straightforward diagrams; they could have been more frequent and more informative. The bibliography lists 14 other books on composting; a list of sources of composting supplies is also given. An interesting treatment of a basic subject for general readers, this is recommended for all gardening collections needing material on compost heaps.-- Sharon Levin, Univ. of Vermont Medical Lib., Burlington

Library Journal