Best plants to grow for compost

[veggiechicken]

I don't make enough compost - I need more green stuff and I'm thinking of growing plants just to go into the compost pile. If they have an edible/flowery use before they're consigned to the heap it would be a bonus.
The plants should be fast growing, make a lot of bulky material and, perhaps, be capable of being cut down several times.

The classic plant is, of course, Comfrey - preferably Bocking 14 which doesn't spread by seed.

So far, I've found recommendations for
Comfrey
Yarrow
Borage
Kale
Daikon radish
Clover
Alfalfa

Greenmanures, of course, and, grass!
Courgettes/squashes grow fast and have big leaves.
Mint, lemon balm and lovage.

What else can you suggest please?

[Mr Bones]

Kale and chard for us. Both are eaten and the excess adds to the compost.

[toomanytommytoes]

New Zealand spinach, peas, nettles, phacelia, buckwheat.

[bario1]

Red veined sorrel!

[ameno]

What you want really is stuff with lots of bulk, lots of carbon. Leaves are mostly water, and disappear nearly to nothing once they rot down. They may be an important addition to a compost heap, but they won't actually contribute much to volume.
That being the case, I'd recommend willow or hazel. Coppice it every year and shred the branches, then compost. You can compost the leaves in autumn, too.
Failing that, long, coarse grass is probably next best.

Or just try and get hold of free sources of compostable materials. Cardboard, spent hops, coffee grounds, etc.

[veggiechicken]

I don't want to bring in stuff but to grow it on site.
I have hazel and alder bushes but that's for the paths, not the compost bins and the leaves go into the chicken run. I don't actually have a compost bin, everything goes into one of the chicken runs where the chooks eat, shred and turn it.

[veggiechicken]

Red veined sorrel!

Yuk!! But its a thought. Maybe the only way to get rid of it!

[FBI]

Might not fit the bill but I've found that Fennel really attracts the woodlice into the compost bin and then they work away in there. Plus it looks pretty and tastes nice in moderation.

[veggiechicken]

My Fennel needs to bulk up a bit before I can cut it down but its a good suggestion - and the chooks eat woodlice so some food for them too.

[MelanieSW]

My hotbin seems to love cardoons (big clear out recently) and sticky willy. Nice high temperatures.
Sticky willy apparently can also be turned into home brew herb beer, not that I've ever been tempted to try.

[rary]

Try growing trombos if you can grow some they are edible, if not you will get a lot of bulk which will rot down fast, I would suggest that you mix it with the old material from your paths, which can be replaced with freshly shredded material, and feed it to your composters

[veggiechicken]

I don't have much shredded stuff these days so can't raid the paths. However, I cheat and turn the paths into growing space by moving the edges of the beds. The paths are relatively clear of weeds so its quite easy to plant in them.

[mothhawk]

How about angelica? Either the culinary one, or one of the ornamental purple flowered ones. It has a long taproot so will draw up nutrients from deep down, and produces lots of top growth. Horseradish is another with a good taproot and big leaves,good for compost.

[Bren In Pots]

I think most have been mentioned but JA's produce a lot of leaves.

[veggiechicken]

How about angelica? Either the culinary one, or one of the ornamental purple flowered ones. It has a long taproot so will draw up nutrients from deep down, and produces lots of top growth. Horseradish is another with a good taproot and big leaves,good for compost.

My Angelica flowered and died last year but I'm hoping it has self seeded. Its close cousin, Lovage, is perennial and spreading everywhere so I'll be giving it a regular haircut this year, instead of saying "Oooh look at those lovely glossy leaves - what can I do with them!"

I think most have been mentioned but JA's produce a lot of leaves.

Horseradish and JAs are Out as I've had problems getting rid of them previously and I don't like eating either. Sunflowers I would like to grow en masse though.