How To Make Compost Article

How To Do Hot Composting

Hot composting needs extra work, but with a couple of minutes every day and the right ingredients it is possible to finish composting in a couple of weeks as long as the weather conditions are suitable. The growing season coincides with the composting season. The same conditions are suitable for the growth of plants and for biological activity that occurs in the compost pile. Compost produces heat,and the process may continue even in fall as well as winter.

When high nitrogen and high carbon materials are in the ratio one is to one, hot piles function the best. The minimum dimensions that are required for efficient heating is 3’x 3’ x 3’ and the heap must be 4 to 5 feet in size. The size of the pile will become less and will shrink when decomposition occurs. If you lack enough quantity for the process then just stockpile the materials until there is a sufficient amount available for mixing it thoroughly. The hot pile will reach a temperature of about 110 to 160° on the Fahrenheit scale. It will kill most of the weed seeds and the diseases in the plants. Studies have revealed that compost that is produced at such high temperatures may not be very effective in suppressing diseases present in the soil as the high temperature kills bacteria that is very beneficial and necessary for the purpose of suppressing disease.

The site that you choose for the process must be near your garden and a well drained one. There are different designs of compost bins that are available in the market to suit your needs. You may get a moveable bin or a large bin, one with a lot of compartments. There are bins that are available for commercial use. You may also collect your pile in the ground directly. It is advisable to place woody material where you intend building the pile for ventilation.

You could either alternate layers of high nitrogen and high carbon material to build your pile or just mix them together. If you are alternating the layers then each layer must have the thickness of about two to four inches. It is often found that mixing of the two is very effective rather than layering of the two materials. It is advisable to use both in equal quantities. If there is a shortage of the high nitrogen material then you could add a little bit of fertilizer that contains nitrogen. For every ten-inch layer of material that you are using, add half a cup of fertilizer. You must add a little soil to the pile as soil contains decomposing organisms and this helps to start it off well.

It is a must to add a little water every now and then as this helps in keeping the pile moist. If the pile is too wet then anaerobic microorganisms, those that live without oxygen, will get into action and this is not what you want. If the pile is soaked then this will lead to bad odors. Punching of holes on the sides of the pile is very essential, as this will help ventilation.

The pile will first start heating and then start cooling. When the temperatures reach 130 to 140°F then the pile has to be turned. Use a compost thermometer to check the temperature or you could even touch the pile and ascertain the temperature and you would know if it is hot to the touch.

Check the bin and ensure that there is enough moisture and ventilation when decomposition occurs. Keep moving the materials present in the center to the sides and vice versa, continue this every day and the process must be complete in four weeks. If you turn the material every other week then it will take around 1 to 3 months to make the compost. The finished compost will be cool and smell sweet and would feel crumbly when touched.

You may face certain problems during composting because it is not an accurate science. With experience things will get better and if you feel there is nothing happening to your pile then you may have to add some water, air or nitrogen. If your pile gets too hot that means there is too much nitrogen present, then in this case you may have to add high carbon materials that will reduce heating. If there is bad odor that means the nitrogen content is more and there is no proper ventilation.

Cold composition in warmer climates will proceed much faster than it would in cooler areas. Cold piles take about a year and sometimes more to decompose as the entire process depends on the conditions and the materials that are present in the pile. If you add kitchen waste to the pile, this will attract insects and flies. Making a hole in the center of the pile and burying the waste will help avoid this problem. You must not compost dead animals, noxious weeds, meat scraps, pet manure or diseased plant material. It is important to go through state or local regulations for composing especially in urban areas. Rodent proof bins may be required in some communities.