Composting Techniques

Hot pile technique for compost in three months

Building Your Pile
Microorganisms will do the majority of work in your compost pile. They need a blended and balanced diet of organic materials to thrive. The technique calls for a threeto- one mixture of carbon materials to nitrogen materials.

A 3:1 ratio of carbon-to-nitrogen will compost very efficiently. The problem is that the availability of carbon items is usually highest in the fall and during the leaf season.

During leaf season, combine the leaves from trees (carbon) with grass clippings and any fruit and vegetable trimmings. To increase the surface area, it is recommended that the leaves

picture of tree


be mowed and collected utilizing a grass catcher. This will mix the material, reduce the particle size, and you should have a 3:1 ratio of carbon to nitrogen.

In the spring, summer, and early fall, carbon material will not be as plentiful as in the late fall. Composting, while still practical during this time of year, does require some creativity. Your yard waste stream will be high in nitrogen but low in carbon. The goal is to come as close to the 3:1 carbon-to-nitrogen ratio as possible. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Check your yard and neighborhood for trees that lose their leaves all year long. If you do not have any trees that lose their leaves throughout the year, perhaps your neighbors do. Leaves are an excellent source of carbon.
  2. Let grass clippings, cut flowers, or weeds dry out and turn brown. As this material dries out, it changes from a high-nitrogen material into a carbon material.
  3. In order to maintain the correct carbonto- nitrogen ratio, consult the list of what to compost on page nine to determine which materials are high in carbon or nitrogen.
  4. If you decide to compost grass waste and other high-nitrogen-content material, be prepared to turn the material more often and recognize that this material may have a stronger odor.

If you incorporate fruit and vegetable trimmings into your compost pile, please follow these guidelines:

  1. Incorporate a week's worth of trimmings at one time. You may want to store the trimmings in a sealed container (a coffee can with lid will make a good storage container) in your refrigerator.
  2. Always chop up this material. Remember, material that is shredded or chopped up will compost faster than material that is not.
    Leaf pile
  3. When you incorporate this material into the pile, dig into the center of the pile, six to twelve inches down. Pour the material in and then cover the trimmings. This will prevent pests (rodents and insects) from infesting your compost pile. It is important to avoid having exposed food waste on the exterior of your pile.
  4. Infestation by either rodents or insects is usually an indication that too much fruit or vegetable trimmings are being added to the pile. Stop adding this material; add some fresh green material to increase the heat of the pile. After the infestation has ended, you can begin to add trimmings to the pile, but in reduced amounts.
compost pile

Water The Pile
Moisture content of 40% is the desired moisture level. Begin adding water when you begin to build your pile. Water should be distributed evenly throughout the pile. The sponge test is a simple and effective method of checking for a 40% moisture content. Take a handful of material and squeeze. When released, the material should clump in your hand and there should be a drop or two of water between your fingers. If the material is dry and there is no water between your fingers, then water should be added to the pile. If the pile is saturated with moisture, turn several times in the coming week to dry out the pile.

Air
Your compost pile receives air when you turn the pile. Remember that the decomposer organisms need oxygen to survive. Without turning, the pile will become anaerobic and the compost process will stop. It is recommended that you turn your pile once every one to two weeks. In the fall, turning your pile once every two weeks will generally be sufficient. In spring, summer, and early fall, once a week is recommended.

Hot Pile Technique For Compost In Three To Six Months

Rotting vegtables

Building Your Pile
The same seasonal conditions apply to this technique as the one mentioned previously. Carbon material is more abundant in the fall of the year, while nitrogen material is abundant during the spring, summer, and early fall. Combine your yard waste material in a 50/50 mixture of carbon to nitrogen. Remember to reduce the particle size of your material to increase the surface area that the decomposer organisms have to feed upon. Fruit and vegetable trimmings are incorporated in the same manner mentioned in the three-month recipe.

Watering The Pile
Moisture content of 40% is the desired moisture level. Begin adding water when you begin to build your pile. Water should be distributed evenly throughout the pile. Use the sponge test mentioned previously to check the moisture content.

Air
Turn the pile once a month. The decomposer organisms still need air to survive. You are simply trading an increase in composting time for less labor under this recipe. Compost takes place at a slower rate when utilizing this technique.