The tree branches & leaves will become compost in three or four years, if you are able to add water once a month or so, to keep the process going. If you are able to add a source of nitrogen, either nitrogen fertilizer or urine, then you will get usable compost in two years. When you go to empty the bins, and extract compost, you will have to screen out the larger chunks of wood that need more time in the pile. If you want to accelerate the process, so you have empty bins that are ready to fill next fall, then you will have to shred the material, and add a source of nitrogen. The problem with owning a chipper is now you have to find a place to store it. There a lots of us who compost without using a chipper, successfully. But it does take time and patience when you are composting branches and such.

Adding a source of nitrogen will be no problem, as is watering. How much nitrogen and what would be the best source. I don't have easy access to manure but could use cheap fertilizer, doggy doo (what would it matter if it's going to be a couple/three years?), more kitchen scraps.
Or, whatever.
There is a lot of green on each branch so thinking there is quite a lot of nitrogen already on there? I also watered heavily yesterday. I will keep trying to stuff smaller things in to fill in all the gaps. At least there is plenty of air getting to everything! Hopefully not so much it will never compost though!
I can be patient as I have two bins that I kept the branches out of that should go much faster. I figured the tree branch bins could be for future use and the closer kitchen bins could be for this spring.

What you are doing will work fine. I don't know if you live in a city, or if you have close neighbors. Composting dog poo would likely be a problem, in our backyard, because our compost pile is only three feet from the lot line, and about eight feet from the neighbor's back porch. I don't know the exact amount of nitrogen to add, but if you mixed up a gallon of water and fertilizer, and added one gallon of this, per month, to each bin, that would be reasonable. The contents of each bin will settle over the winter, and in the spring, you can empty each bin, and separate the compost from woody chunks that need more time. I suggest doing this one time per year, to minimize the amount of labor & time involved in raking up the mess.

It will all eventually rot, but you can speed it up if you get a chipper shredder. If the largest branches are thumb sized, a small chipper will work. I have one similar to this one that does a good job on smaller branches.

You might also want to check craigs list and freecycle to see if there are any used ones for free or cheap.

The problem with composting dog stool is not so much that your neighbors may notice an odor (they should not) but the potential disease pathogens and possibly intestinal worms that stool may contain.
Some tool rental places do have shredder/chippers to rent and how long it might take to process what you have will depend on the volume. 4 "city bins" means little since they could be anywhere from 5 gallon to 10 cubic yard bins.

By "city bins" I mean the size of a large, outdoor trash can. About 30"X30"X36". Bottom has been cut out and large holes drilled along sides for air.
This is what the city provides free to residents for composting.
No worms in the stools, dogs get tested and also get heartworm medicine monthly which kills everything but tapeworms which they don't have. These are show dogs, eat more expensive stuff than I do! As far as other pathogens, don't think anything as far as viral/bacterial would survive the 2 years or so in a compost bin while tree branches break down. Can't imagine it could be worse than dead bird carcasses? Especially in small amounts added to my last bin.
Craig's list, great idea and I'll check. I always forget about craig's list. Have been watching freecyle but haven't seen anything.
Encouraged to know that others do compost without a chipper but will still try to get ahold of one although I don't think I will be buying one unless I find an incredible deal. I'll try to keep the bins that are full of tree scraps free of anything else for awhile though in case I run across a chipper that I can use.
As far as nitrogen, since these branches have so much green on them, aren't they pretty rich in nitrogen? The leaves are green, the evergreen parts are still actively growing. Just wondering if adding nitrogen or greens would be too much?
I'll be watering regularly. That's been the hard part since there seems to be so much air space with all the tree branches, with our dry air here in AZ and no rain to speak of.

It might help if you can sift some shredded tree leaves down among the branches. Leaves can be shredded with a lawnmower. Clumps of grass cuttings would have the same effect. You don't have to add a nitrogen source to get good compost, but shredding the branches, and adding some nitrogen, would help the pile heat up, and speed the process. If you are willing to wait two years for results, then skip the nitrogen.

I use a machete to chop stuff when it might be too bulky. I bought one from Harbor Freight. It was fairly cheap. I also use a limb lopper to cut down branches to usable sizes.

(Then, of course, I'll run it through my 18 horse chipper.)

But, I think you just want to keep the branches somewhat compacted and covered with other compost materials, and keep it moist.

My compost has bits of branches in it that have been composted. I put it into the garden soil.

I did cut the branches down to about forearms length for the most part by running the hedger through the piles or bending them in half before stuffing in the bins.
I'll keep adding leaves to try to fill in the gaps as I get them, that's a great idea. I still have almost a half a yard, the worst half, to clean and there is a lot of waste over there, much of which is green.
I've been a little hesitant though, to use the bermuda that I pull up because it's gone to seed? Will I be developing super bermuda compost? You know how hardy bermuda is and I can see the seeds falling off this stuff as I pull up the long grasses. It was hit by round-up last summer but it had already gone to seed and is pretty tall. I through a bunch of it in the trash because I was afraid of growing berumuda in my brand new gardens!
I do, though, probably have at least 5-10 trash bags of pine needles/pine cones coming when we power spray our gravel and also still haven't even started pruning the lemon trees yet.
Anybody in the Phoenix area wanting to trade yardwork in exchange for compost materials? I have more than I will probably use before I move in three years! Even with attempting to start three rather large new gardens this spring which will continue to need compost on an ongoing basis. But, there is only so much space for bins and I have a lot of trees despite having a small (well, 1/2 acre is small coming from 80) yard.
My plans are to get the areas all around the pool and house, plus a large (4-4X10)veggie garden started. I also want to redo a large planter in front of the house that currently has a very ugly yucca taller than my house. It will get yanked this week and replaced with a fruit tree and herb garden. But, will be moving in less than 3 years so what I do here is limited. Mostly want to grow my food and make it look nicer than when I started. I also can't stand throwing all this good biodegradable stuff in the landfill.

You have barely enough volume in each of those "composters" for the bacteria to really get to work. Most every web site about composting that I have seen suggests that the minimum size for a compost bin should be 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet, and better would be a 4 x 4 x 4 size.
Dogs can be carriers of disease pathogens that adversly affect us without showing any signs of that disease just as you could be a carrier just as Typhoid Mary was way back when that resulted in the public healthy laws ther require people working where foods are served to wash their hands. It has little to do with how well cared for they are or what they are fed.

I don't think anyone has answered your question about renting a chipper/shredder. Yes, Home depot & Lowes do rent them, as well as other home/hardware type stores. That's what I'd opt for, personally. Good luck!

I'll check home depot. Don't want to change this to a dog poo argument.
I am a physician, understand quite well how pathogens are carried. Also understand how they are killed over the course of two years of being heated in the AZ heat, with soil pathogens, compost bacteria, earthworms, etc. But, to each their own. Besides, by the time the poo gets picked up to go into the bin it's been "solarized" by the hot dry climate and is practically baked anyway. That's if I let it sit for a week.
It's not that my yard is a mess but with one doberman/one chihuahua on 1/2 acre and they eat a low, low carb food they have hardly any waste to pick up. So I go out and pick up these tiny turds that look like fossilized dog poo.
Back to the topic. Would I be better off to get rid of these ugly bins, make a big bin out of wire or something and combine them into one? My plans were to be having several at different stages so that some were getting things that would take a long time while the "kitchen" bins would get the quick composting stuff and hopefully be ready for this spring's new gardens.

One thing you could do is to just realize you have too much yard waste to handle with your current system and to become more selective. All I mean is, if you are going to have to put something out on the curb, put out those items that are hardest for you to compost yourself. That might be the branches. or the largest parts of the branches, but not the pine needles, for example. In my city, at least some of those items go to a municipal compost facility and not to a landfill, so it's not the worst-case scenario. So overall, I can make the most compost the fastest by prioritizing yard waste that fits my various systems best--all kitchen waste, all of the leaves from several large oaks, all random rakings of leaves and pine needles, our shredded paper, most garden trimmings--but not all of our pruned branches. I break up as many dead sticks as I have the time and energy for, and hack some green pruned branches into small pieces with loppers or hand pruners; small sticks help keep the compost from packing down too much.

The trash can method is perfectly fine--mine make compost in 3-4 months. But, requires smallish pieces--if I had large branches taking up space and creating large air pockets, it wouldn't go.

If you do rent a chipper, you might consider "composting in place" and using the chips directly as mulch, rather than putting in a composter (or some, at least, depending on how much volume you have). Depending on your yard work schedule, if you have the same pruning jobs each year or over a month or 2, you might be able to make a temporary branch pile and then have a chipfest.

Frankie, you make a bunch of really good points. Piling up and having a chip fest, putting the stuff into a place instead of into the bins, directly into a mulch, etc. There is a lot I can do with that.
Part of why I'm concerned is I haven't even begun to touch the worst of my yard yet. I haven't pruned the very overgrown/suckered lemon trees. Palms haven't been touched. Have several pines with many dead branches. Basically, I haven't even scratched the surface and already have more than I can handle. (can you tell I inherited a backyard from my non-gardening new husband and his previous non-gardening ex?)
I'll check into renting a chipper right now for the pile I have but I think the chipper is in the near future.
It could take me all year to put this stuff in trash cans for the trash pickup to take. My only other option would be to actually rent one of those ugly huge dumpsters that they use when remodeling or doing a "tear-down" house.

What size chipper do I need if I look at buying one on Craig's list? That looks like what I really need to do. I know bigger is better but what is the minimum I should look for? Is AC ok or should it be gas?

With regard to shredding yard waste, there are electric powered models that sit on top of a standard trash can, & you feed the leaves and sticks from above. These are for intermittent use, on dry leaves, and small sticks, maybe the size of a pencil. They tend to get clogged on damp leaves, and the motors burn out if they are worked too hard. From your description of the project in front of you, you will need something gas powered, maybe 10 hp, that is capable of shredding larger branches. Some OPE (outdoor powered equipment) vendors will deliver, so, unless you have a pickup truck with a ramp, that might be the way to go.

I'm not sure where you're located, but I know some towns have tool libraries, where you can rent equipment for free. You might try googling "tool library" for your area. Worth a try!

Tracy -
If you have that much to chip and shred, buy the chipper (gas from Home Depot), use it until you are caught up, then resell it. It's cheaper than renting it.

You need a minimum 8 or 10Hp gas chipper/shredder, and it will reduce the volume you are composting by an amazing amount.

Here's all my shredder knowledge for you:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1640016/tips_for_efficient_chippershredder.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/290206/homeowners_do_you_need_a_chippershredder.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1525039/yard_machines_10hp_gas_chippershredder.html

Posted by tracydr 9b on Mon, Nov 30, 09 at 10:04
"As far as nitrogen, since these branches have so much green on them, aren't they pretty rich in nitrogen? The leaves are green, the evergreen parts are still actively growing. Just wondering if adding nitrogen or greens would be too much? "

Green leaves are not a "green." They are higher in carbon than nitrogen even when they have not turned brown yet. Grass clippings or coffee grounds (or liquid gold) can help with the process after you have decided which items to leave in and which to remove.

Well, grass is pretty rare around here. But, I can add the coffee grounds, I stop and get Starbucks grounds and have added a lot to my two more active bins. I can also add the kitchen waste.
Thought that I read on here that fallen leaves were a perfect ration of C:N? And these are leaves that don't fall, these are evergreen trees, still growing and also ash trees in an active phase, not dormant.
It looks like I will be searching for a chipper, although I have a few other things that are in the front of the line first so it will have to wait a few months.
Anybody else for an opinion on evergreen ratio of C:N? Not dead ones but living ones?
Also, will be adding lots of citrus prunings and palm cuttings soon.

I don't know about palm cuttings, but wonder if those leaves break down very slowly--since can be used for roofs. Again, I'm not trying to discourage you from being "green", but just realize that some vegetation, such as very leathery tough-leaved types, has very long breakdown periods, and if you were to ditch something, you'd ditch those types and keep all the rapid breakdown stuff. Otherwise you'll be reduced to the longest common denominator.

I love my Mackissic 12pt chipper, but it's a beast. I have an acre with quite a few mature trees. My chipper is a hammermill type and has 'screens' that dictates the size of the chips produced. Other chippers that have screens include the Crary Bearcat.

I had considered buying a chipper at Lowes, it would have been half the price of my Mackissic Might Mac, but I'd heard that hammermill chippers do a better job of processing material for compost bins.

I'll have to dig up the wood chips from the middle of the compost pile to see how they're doing, but from my experience, when I had first chipped green branches and piled up the chips, they were hot from decomposition within a day.

Search on 'ramial mulch' to read more about that.

I recently cleared some of the property and ran across piles of red cedar branches from shrubs I cut up many many years ago. It is very resistant to decay, but it burns very easily.

We are allowed small recreational campfires for roasting hot dogs etc here in the city limits (wood fired barbecue pit). It is pretty easy to get rid of small branches over time this way and if you have a hose handy you can quench the coals leaving a good bit of charcoal for the garden. This also cuts down on burning time since you don't have to stand around waiting for the coals to burn down.

The running joke around here is that you can only burn brush if you have a beer in one hand and a hotdog on a stick in the other.

I'll be getting a fire pit sometime this winter as I redo my patio. I love having a nice fire on cool nights. I've been keeping the nicer stuff for kindling for the fireplace and future firepit
However, our house burned today so not very "fire happy" right now. Our chimney caught on fire from a badly built 20 year old chimney. I'm looking at a very long time of painful mess to get life back in order. Master bedroom and living room are totaled as is the roof on half the house.
Not seeing much in my disaster yet that appears to be compost but surely there will be something good to come of it?

Cedar chips are a great mulch ,slow to decompose, bugs dont like it. In my experience wood chip ratio must be kept low in compost. I still add it, but its never done on time and then ends up helping drainage. To add N to your compost maybe growing some Rye grass tall to harvest ,and your dogs will thank you too.

Sorry to hear about the fire. I imagine the construction crew will appreciate the work, rebuilding your house. Business is slow in the building trades these days. Its hard to see any other "good' coming from a house fire...

Well, house is going to be nearly gutted. They are removing the ceiling to get to the rafters and replacing insulaton. Then will replace the ceiling, living room and master br floor, chimney, probably most of garage and all paint and carpet. House has to be emptied and everything ozoned and cleaned.
One heck of a plot to get my house cleaned and new window dressings!

dr tracy,
Your upbeat attitude in the wake of this disaster is indeed rare and commendable. Well, at least you won't be in need of additional carbon material for the compost bins :)

Yes, I'll be keeping my eyes open for safe, clean things to add to the bins. I don't want to be adding too many nails or latex and drywall.
And I'm not thinking fiberglass insulation is good for much. Amazing how much of that there will be. They took truckloads of that away just from the area of ceiling that got hacked away for the immediate firefighting. The demolition will be 10X more!

So sorry to hear about the fire!

A suggestion for the OP.

I have acres of trees and no chipper so have to be clever. I have begun to dig slight depressions into the ground, piling the slash in, covering with leaves. Whenever there's some compostables, I throw them in under the leaves. I began this a year ago, much of the branches have got brittle and are breaking down although not exactly composting. It's made nice little hills for the landscape without heavy equipment and moving great hunks of dirt. The leaves even out the appearance so they look no different than my sheet-composted gardens.

Did I mention that I planted hydrangea in the two experimental hills? I just added more sticks and leaves to round the hills out last month but think that this weird plan is going to work. They've compacted nicely so shouldn't lose their shape.

You have (or had, as you probably chipped it all long ago) some amazing mulch just as it sits. I spread the exact same type of litter under my trees, quite thickly, and try to be a bit decorative with larger branches on top, or cover the whole thing with leaves or decorative mulch. Plants love it just as it is, and you don't have to ever worry about where you're going to stash this stuff again. One poster is doing it right, too, by partially burying it as she can. People waste perfectly good compost because they don't know that nature just puts it in the ground again to feed trees and plants. No chipper needed. Unless, of course, you live in a gated community where you are not allowed to be creative with your yard waste. That is another topic!

Old thread but a good addition Siedlinde. I've done the same thing. Had an area too shady to grow grass and the clay was terrible anyway so I mulched it. It was on a slight slope and mulch would wash away so I laid down a network of twigs and branches first, then covered with wood chip mulch. The branches lock down the whole thing. I'm just going to wait till it decomposes and add more. When the weeds start to grow well (and I've trimmed back trees to get some sun), I'll try grass again.