Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition) (Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Somewhere, thousands and thousands of years ago, some hairy and slouched cave dwellers who groveled in the dirt with sticks and who managed to grow..." (more)
Key Phrases: poultry wire, compost system, nitrogen materials, Sir Albert, University of California, New Zealand (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

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
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“…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

 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 153 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; 3rd edition (January 3, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580170234
• ISBN-13: 978-1580170239
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,647 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'll be a pro at composting by the end of the season, April 7, 2002

By	Jessica Ferguson "threelittlebirds" (Woodbury, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great, clear cut, interesting and fun-to-read book! Stu Campbell is able to take what, to newcomers, can be a daunting task and not only present us with the basics to feel comfortable but he also translates some of the scientific "mumbo-jumbo" of how and why compost works into layman's terms. He includes real "recipes" and approaches to try as well as suppling a list (though not nearly complete) of good materials to compost as well as what NOT to use. A short "troubleshooting" chapter called "Things You Might Worry About a Little" is a bit over the top for beginners but is part of what makes this book valuable for the seasoned composter. Let It Rot! is a not-to-technical, well-written, easy-to-read guide that takes the "yuck" out of your composting ideas! Perfect for beginners and a great refresher for near professional composters.

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's An Artform, June 14, 2001

By	Dominic Smith (Australia) - See all my reviews

There's more to composting than just sticking a bunch of dead things in a pile and waiting for it to rot - although that will work. It can be a virtual art form, and this book proves it. From building a compost container to adding the ingredients, this book leaves out nothing. Handy tips on speeding up the decomposition, encouraging worms, creating leaf-mold, using it once you've made it. You'll never look at an apple core quite the same way again. In this day and age with the emphasis placed heavily on recycling, this book provides heaps of how-to's in getting the most out of your waste.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Creating the best garden ever starts at the bottom, February 11, 2008

By	H. Grove "owling6683" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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Composting, in case you aren't terribly familiar with it yet, is simply the practice of allowing waste matter to rot and decompose until it's fit to be tilled right into the soil. However, while the basic concept is as old as mother nature and often very easy to execute, it also helps to know more about it. What materials should you compost, and which should you avoid? Do you have to worry about animals or flies in your compost? How do you make sure your compost will turn into dirt and not a slimy, stinky sludge?

While nearly every gardening book these days has a section on composting and most of these are enough to get you by, Stu Campbell's Let It Rot! is an entertaining, folksy and in-depth take on the art that will see you through nearly any foreseeable difficulty. I was certainly able to successfully compost with the simpler directions in other books, but there's information in here I wish I'd had back when I first started. For instance, now I know the cobweb-like stuff that I feared was mold was the natural activity of Actinomycetes, a part-bacteria, part-fungus organism that aids decomposition in certain parts of a compost pile.

Mr. Campbell's book also introduces a great many different types of compost piles and composters that you can use, depending on what you're trying to accomplish, what area you have to work with, or what you're trying to decompose. He also suggests many ways to use compost in and around your garden, and how to get the most out of it. I'm glad I picked up Mr. Campbell's book, because I learned an incredible amount of new material!