Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting

by Stu Campbell

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.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Reference, Science, How To, Environment, Nature

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Missy LeBlanc Ivey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in 1975. Just a little too technical and troublesome for me. I don't have the desire or the patience to make sure my ratios of nutrients are exact or the temperature is just right. I literally just throw all my vegetable kitchen scraps into a pile with some mulched grass, and just keep adding to that, and let the thing work or not. I'll usually give it a turn with the tractor when I see tall grass weeds growing in it...lol So far, at the end of the day, I've ended up with fresh dirt to add to my garden every single time.

If you are serious about composting "perfectly", then this really might be the book for you.

[Candace · Rating 3 out of 5]

composting is a serious manner, as evidenced by all the hardcore gardeners i meet in my job. i love compost and recognize its value in any organic garden, but honestly, i just can't bring myself to keep track of charts, temperatures and ratios. this book is a great guide for any hands-off composter such as myself. i especially appreciated the first 5 chapters (of the 1990 copy that i read) which are dedicated to the science behind decomposition and the elements of good compost. an easy read. it reminded me that the beauty of the natural world is that everything will decompose at some point.

[P.J. Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to composting for gardeners. It discusses various composting systems, their advantages and disadvantages. Bins and tumblers. How to build a bin, where to locate it. What to put on your pile, what to avoid. How to layer. Drainage and aeration. Bacteria and organisms. How to activate your pile to speed decomposition. What to do with the finished product.

Recommended if you are looking to make good compost for your garden. May disappoint if you are mainly seeking a way to dispose of kitchen wastes without attracting vermin. The author says that “we have no rats around our place.” How many other people can say the same? The compost bins he recommends are not rodent proof. There are no index entries under “rats” or “rodents” or “vermin.” He regards them as non-issues. But compost piles can and do attract vermin.

Indexed, with bibliography. Includes sources for buying composting supplies.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just an essential read for the serious gardener. It covers EVERYthing related to composting. Even after 20 years of doing so myself, I still learned quite a few new tips and that there were some mistakes I was making. I have tabbed pages for future reference & reminders. From A to Z, it’s the best I’ve read and only one I will keep.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally written in 1975 it sounds like he's talking about the current state of affairs.. which leads me to believe nothing has really changed in 40+ yrs. We are still polluting the planet and destroying the ecosystem and environment. But we still have room the change and reverse this. And the movement to becoming more self sufficient and sustainable has never been stronger. I have always been very health conscious and avoiding pesticides in my garden and preserving my harvest are a few of the ways I made steps in that direction. I did do composting in the past but with very little direction. This book gives many examples and ways in which to compost. I have been wanting this book for a very long time and I didn't realize it was written so long ago. I don't like the idea of using animal byproducts in my compost aside from manure, but to each their own I suppose. I definitely will not be using any commercial chemical fertilizers. So some of the information is a bit out dated but has more useful information than not. So I definitely highly recommend this for someone who is interested in becoming more self sufficient and maybe less wasteful. I will be implementing much of what he's suggested. Great book, even 42 yrs later. ;)

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about turning garbage into liquid gold for your garden and plants, what’s not to love?! My kids and husband laughed each time they walked by me and saw the cover. Hubby was also thrilled because he got to use the line “So what’s new in composting” ( Tony Stark line from End Game) 😂 But besides all that it was informative and helpful. I already knew some of the basics but this gave me some ideas on how to compost faster and better and in different ways. It’s always good to see what you know about topics and to realize there is always more to learn and make you better. Hopefully my garden appreciates the effort and gives our little family some extra veggies in return later this summer. 🥦🌽🫑🥔🍅

[Shelby · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a quick read on how to compost. It served as a great guide for a beginning composter. The science sections were very informative, yet easy to read. The one thing that it lacked for me was how to compost on a small scale with more urban resources. It mainly focused on the larger at home scale with resources that are not always available to city dwellers who simply want to reduce their waste.

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good for beginners, though definitely more geared towards farmers/larger-scale gardeners than those whose main goal is to reduce waste in a sustainable way. Generally still applicable though, and very accessible for people who don't know anything about composting or healthy soil. Has a lot of handy charts for future reference and for someone who right now is thinking small scale it has plenty of information if I want to expand in the future.

[Kate Hainsworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read, though not too much new information if you've perused a few basic google search results. I read it to check the box that I was not missing anything obvious before setting up a small composting system intended only to digest household scraps and minimize trash (vs. improve soil quality) and was not disappointed. Refreshingly non dogmatic.

[Haines Eason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imminently useful and very approachable, if strangely--charmingly?--humorous. Guess a good gardener shouldn't be too stern. The age of this edition--1975--also made for fun contemplation of our present world versus the America of forty years ago.

[Audra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good information, but the book is poorly organized. It should be organized by which type of composting you plan on doing and then have another section dedicated to the science of it...I feel like I have to look all over the place for the information I need to do composting at my home.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good choice for a beginner or for someone who wants a refresher course in the basics.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming and approachable. It is one of a stack of books I checked out to try and get an idea of what composting is. I’m pretty sure I’m not going to go into this much detail, or to this much trouble at this stage. But it’s obvious the author is delighted by the process. Wish I could be there too. Maybe one day.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting by Stu Campbell is a thorough resource for composing. You will learn the science about why it works and meet the decomposers responsible. Stu Campbell specifically describes how to build different piles and the pros and cons for each. He also explains different container options, provides a troubleshooting section and outlines the uses for compost including what it can and cannot do. I only wish it included pictures of compost at different stages. A great resource for anyone who plans to compost.

[Marquavious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not too bad of a book! Did a very great job of explaining some of the basics while also presenting the info in a way that was accessible. You could definitely feel the passion that the author has about composting all throughout the book! Chapter 10 is a great resource for troubleshooting in the future.

One thing I wish was better about the book is a little more discussion on the container type WRT their advantages and disadvantages. Many of the chapters assumed that you were using traditional methods, and it would've been helpful to be able to better understand how things would change if you were using a tumbler, for example. Other than that it was a very enjoyable book that I'll be referencing in the future!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Composting is important not only to provides nutrients back into soils, but also to reduce waste that goes into landfills.

Although this book is mostly for people who have a lot of land, there is still a lot of good information for someone who is trying to compost using a tumbler or bin in a smaller yard (me), or even indoor composting if you live in an apartment/city. He talks a lot about animal manure and farm materials, like hay and alfalfa, but still provides information about the carbon/nitrogen ratio and how air and moisture is just as important.

At the end of the book, he provides many ways thats a finished compost can be used - for indoor and outdoor plants, yards/lawns, gardens, fields, trees, etc.

[Caeona Murdoch · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful little book. I borrowed it from our library and am sad to send it back! It would make an excellent and perennial reference on my garden book shelf. Funny, witty and informative. Cute drawings too! I love the style of the 70s-90s.

I am an avid gardener but for some reason by compost efforts are always... Off somehow. After being mightily motivated by this book, multiple times, I chopped up straw and turned my compost and added some activators and voila, I ended up with good compost. Finally. My new grape plants and corn bed are now thriving with it.

Now I have to return the book and start a new compost pile, and let it rot!

Seriously, the authors compost enthusiasm is infectious!

[Aprilleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best treatment of vermicomposting I’ve seen so far, which isn’t surprising considering this author’s background (her nickname is The Urban Worm Girl). The book covers a lot more than worms, however, including a couple of pages about humanure (not for me, but do look it up if you’re serious about reducing your impact on the environment).

The books covers a lot of material, and it’s very readable, but I see this more as a book to get someone excited about composting rather than a reference that will be referred to over and over again. There are other books that cover the same material with stronger emphasis on the process. But if you want a worm bin, definitely read through this book first.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good applicable information

Appreciated the science and suggested methods for composting. Have me confidence to keep composting and how best to use the compost in my small garden and for indoor plants. Enjoyable to read as the author is really into it and doesn't over explain...enough information if you want to understand the science and then if you just want to know how you can build your compost system knowing what has to happen to make it work.

[Felicity Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting mix of facts and fun

This book was recommended by another book called Permaculture for the Rest of Us. I'm so glad I followed that recommendation!

This book is a great mix of the science of composting and anecdotes from the author's experiences. His emphasis on "it doesn't have to be perfect" was reassuring, and his insistence of covering the high level fundamentals was right on. Great read!

[Josef · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting perspective on the techniques available to compost gardeners. I was intrigued by the section where the author discussed the University of California method of rapid composting. The chapter that discussed composting containers was a little boring since most of that information will depend on what materials are available at the local farm supply store. Overall, though, the book did a superb job of reigniting my interest in composting.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great book overall. It provides an in-depth look at composting and the various methods and ways to compost, while also going into the science behind what’s happening in your pile. For a backyard composter like myself, who uses a tumbler, I found the beginning 5 chapters, and last 3 chapters the most useful to bolster my knowledge of composting in general. If you have land and space, the middle chapters will prove useful!

[Kathy Jedrzejczyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to follow. A lot of information I was already familiar with from online research. It was nice to have it all in one place, though. I got a few ideas for my small backyard compost. He covers the spectrum of different types of composters out there, from laid back, small uninvolved, so large scale and fully detailed.

[Rev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent overview on composting for someone like me who is just getting into this kind of thing. It doesn't go into too too much detail about specific methods but it is a basic guide that's more of an overview than anything else so I'm not going to dock too many points for that. It has given me some ideas for future compost piles though.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I just loved this book! I am new to gardening and composting and have been reading books at the library to figure out how to improve my soil. This is one of the best so far! The exact perfect amount of nerdiness. Enough that I feel like I am learning something new, and colloquial enough so that the topic is not overwhelming. Can’t wait to get outside and work on my compost :)

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good primer on the science behind composting. Wished it had a bit more on techniques for modern tumblers (there is a scant paragraph that is mostly dismissive of the device) but was good background nonetheless.

[Judith Leipold · Rating 4 out of 5]

It a quick read, so I will keep the review equally quick. Good information. Received some new information, suggestions, that I was unaware of. Some chemistry knowledge would be useful, but not necessary...especially if you use the "KISS"(keep it simple, stupid) method.

[Michael J. Heil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short read for the beginning gardener

This short 2 hour quick read book helped me understand the basics of composting; however like all good books it will be a good reference source for life.

[Weslyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let It Rot! is a great resource for anyone interested in composting. I knew quite a bit of the information presented in the book, but if I had had this book when I first started composting it would have saved me a whole lot of time. Easy to read and comprehend. I’ll definitely be referencing this in the future.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on compost ! Doesn’t overwhelm and gets into the details of how compost works in a clear way. Accessible , informative and exactly what you need to starting and maintaining a compost setup.