25/11/2009 YardWise - Making Your Own Compost

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Home > YardWise Practices > Making Your Own Compost

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Backyard Composting – The Basics for a Hot Pile

It's a Natural Process

In nature, there is a cycle of life, death, decay, and growth. Plants draw the nutrients they need for
life from the soil and air around them. As the plant or some of its parts die, they fall to the ground
where they decay, or decompose. Decomposition releases the nutrients back into the soil where
they will be available for other plants to use.

We can manipulate the conditions under which this natural process occurs in order to speed up the
production of available nutrients as a product called humus — or compost. Composting is simply
the management of the natural decomposition process.

Since the goal of composting is the decomposition of organic matter, and since all organic matter
eventually decomposes, you are virtually guaranteed success! There may be times when compost
pile management practices need to be adjusted, but this should not be taken as failure. So enjoy
yourself, because it is impossible to fail at composting!

Regulating Factors
Most of the work of decomposition, in or out of a compost pile, is done by microorganisms
(bacteria, actinomycetes, protozoa and fungi). The composter's goal is to create favorable
conditions for these microorganisms to grow and do their work. We especially want to encourage
the aerobic microorganisms, the ones that need air to survive and grow.

Anaerobic microorganisms (living in the absence of air) will decompose organic matter, but some of
their by-products are very undesirable. When anaerobic microbes are at work, they release
methane gas that is explosive, nitrogen containing compounds such as ammonia, and some sulfur
containing compounds that smell like rotten eggs. These microorganisms will make your compost
pile smell very bad. The Trouble-Shooting Guide at the end of this section will give you tips to avoid
this problem.

The aerobic microorganisms also have by-products, but they are not unpleasant. The bacteria in
particular will give off body heat. The bacteria are very small, but there are lots of them (billions in a
handful of active compost), so heat will build up in the pile to temperatures above 120 degrees F. At
these high temperatures, the thermophilic (heat loving) bacteria will take over and go to work. These
are the bacteria we like best, because they work the fastest, and produce enough heat to destroy
most weed seeds and pathogens!

Air

Our first regulating factor is air. When building our compost pile, we should use enough bulky
material to allow air circulation. Bulky materials in a compost pile are the dry, coarsely chopped
ingredients. Items such as stems, pine cones, and large dried leaves can be excellent bulking
materials. By letting air circulate through the pile, we encourage the growth of aerobic
microorganisms (the good guys), including actinomycetes, which produce the "earthy" aroma that
gardeners like so much.

Water
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Composting microorganisms also need a moist environment. This is our second regulating factor —
water. A thin coating of water over the materials in the pile will keep the microorganisms from drying
out. The little critters need moisture, but not too much, because they also need to breathe. Without
air, the anaerobic microbes move in and the pile gets pungent. A good rule of thumb is to keep the
pile as damp as a wrung out sponge.

An easy way to tell if you have added enough water to a compost pile is to pick up some of the
material in your hand and squeeze it. If water runs out, there is too much and you should add some
more bulking material. If the material falls apart when you open your hand, you should add a little
more water. If the material sticks together for a few seconds, there is probably just enough water.

Carbon and Nitrogen

Easy access to air and water is very important to the microbes doing the work of decomposition,
but they also need "food". Like us, they consume carbon to burn for energy. Dried leaves, straw,
peanut hulls, plain paper, wood chips, bark, and other "brown stuff" are excellent sources of carbon.

Our microscopic work horses also need nitrogen to make protein for growth and reproduction.
Fresh grass clippings, lettuce leaves, garden plants, fresh leaves, and other "green stuff" are very
good sources of nitrogen. There are also many sources of nitrogen that are not green, such as carrot
peels, apple cores, orange rinds, manure, and coffee grounds. There is one thing that almost all good
nitrogen sources have in common and that is that they are all fresh.

The Basic Compost Recipe:

Air + Water + Brown Stuff (carbon) + Green Stuff (nitrogen) = Compost

Now that we know the ingredients in the compost recipe, we need to determine the proper amounts
of each. As discussed above, bulky material is needed to create spaces for air. This is usually the
"brown stuff". We also know that water is important, but too much water can cause problems
(remember the "damp as a wrung out sponge" test). Now, what is the best mixture of carbon and
nitrogen for our microbial composters?

The ideal ratio for the carbon to nitrogen mix is 30:1 - thirty parts of carbon for each part of
nitrogen. All organic materials contain both carbon and nitrogen, but not in the same ratio. Grass
clipping have a carbon to nitrogen ratio of about 19:1, or less than the ideal amount of carbon. The
average ratio of carbon to nitrogen in dried leaves is 60:1, twice as much carbon as we're shooting
for. So, in order to achieve the ideal carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N), we usually need to mix different
materials, or feedstocks. Below is a chart of various materials and their C:N ratios.

It is possible to achieve a
30:1 ratio by
Nitrogen Carbon Sources
mathematically calculating
Food Scraps 15:1 Dried Leaves 60:1 the exact amounts of the
various feed stocks using
Grass Clippings 19:1 Pine Needles 90:1
their C:N ratio averages.
Coffee Grounds 20:1 Newspaper 125:1 But, since we will mostly
be dealing with material
Horse Manure 25:1 Sawdust 625:1 commonly found in our
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kitchens and backyards,
there is an easier way to
estimate the proper mix.

To achieve a C:N ratio close to 30:1, mix leaves and grass clipping ½ and ½ by weight

If you've ever bagged your yard trimmings, you've probably noticed that grass clippings are a lot
heavier than dried leaves, maybe two to four times heavier. This half greens and half browns by
weight is a pretty good rule of thumb for most compostable materials in and around your house. Do
a little experimenting to find out what works best for you.

Compost Pile Volume

The volume of your pile does have an effect upon the composting process. A pile that is too large
becomes difficult to handle and has a greater chance of producing pockets of anaerobic activity
deep inside it. On the other hand, a pile that is too small will not support enough microbes to
generate the heat needed for rapid decomposition. Let's say our compost pile is contained in a
square compost bin. The outside four to six inches act as insulation, allowing the middle of the pile to
heat up to the desired temperatures for the thermophilic (heat loving) bacteria to take over. As the
supplies of air, water, carbon and nitrogen become depleted, the process slows down until the
compost pile cools to the ambient temperature.

The ideal size of a compost pile is around 3 feet cubed. Anything less than 3 feet cubed is too small
to house a large enough population of bacteria to produce the desired heat. A pile over 6 feet cubed
not only becomes hard to handle, but can also generate anaerobic conditions if it's not well-aerated.

Compost Bins
Compost bins are for the benefit of the human; the microbes will do their thing with or without one.
A bin can help, though, to contain the materials and maintain the optimum volume. It can also
discourage unwanted guests such as varmints and neighborhood pets. A lid may be placed on top to
further insure that the composting materials will not be disturbed.

Compost bins can be made of just about any material that is not harmful to living things. There are
commercially produced plastic, wire, metal, and wooden bins. Some people make their own using
concrete blocks, wire, bricks, or wood. A key element in construction is to always make sure there
are plenty of openings for aeration. Also, the bin should not have a bottom.

Building the Pile

After gathering all of the materials together, you are ready to start building the compost pile. To
make a hot pile, 20-25 bags of material will be required in the proper brown to green ratio. For
example, 3-4 bags of dried brown material to each partial bag of fresh vegetative material.

Start with an 8 — 10 inch layer of brown material in the bottom of the bin. Stir in water to make
sure it is dampened. Then throw in the green stuff and mix it together. Continue to mix in greens and
browns in this manner until the bin is full.

After a few days, the volume will shrink, allowing you to add another layer. When the pile no longer
shrinks at the same rate, it's time to completely turn the material over, adding whatever ingredient
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might be missing.

Maintenance
The three most commonly asked questions about maintenance of a compost bin are:

1. Is it okay to add more material?

2. How often do I turn the pile?
3. Do I water it?

More material can be added to the pile at any time. If you are adding fruit or vegetable kitchen
scraps, they should be buried deep in the pile (at least ten inches). If you are adding more grass
clippings and leaves, add them to the bin as if you were building another layer.

Some people follow a regular schedule of turning the compost pile every few days, some every few
months, and some never turn the pile! It's all good; however, you can tell when the pile is ready to
be turned by taking its temperature , either by digging into the pile and feeling the heat with your
hand, or using a composting thermometer made for this purpose. Composting occurs most efficiently
when the pile's temperature rises to between 120 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit and stays there until
most of the material has decomposed. Composting can be successful at much lower temperatures-it
just takes longer.

When one of the ingredients in the compost recipe becomes depleted, the microbial activity begins
to slow down and the pile cools off. Now it's time to turn the pile and mix in more ingredients,
whichever seems to be in short supply. The ingredients most often needed are water and/or
nitrogen.

Water is needed when you build the pile and when you turn it. Watering the top of the pile has little
effect on the interior conditions because most if not all of the water runs off. The material that acts as
insulation to keep heat in the pile also acts to keep external factors out.

Backyard Composting - Trouble Shooting Guide

Problem Possible Cause Solution

Turn pile. Add dry, porous material
Excess Moisture
such as dried leaves, straw, or wood
Rotten Odor chips.
Compaction
Turn pile to fluff material

Too Much Nitrogen Add high carbon material

Ammonia Odor
(too much green stuff) (brown stuff)
Pile Too Small Add more material

Low Pile Temperature Insufficient Moisture Add water while turning

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Lack of Nitrogen Mix in nitrogen sources
Pests

Raccoons
Presence of Food –
Rats Meat or Animal Remove any meat, dairy, or oil
Other Products, Dairy products. These can be buried in the
Products, or Fats and ground at least ten inches deep.
Animals
Oils
Insects

Pour boiling water on them and mix

Fire Ants
up the pile to get it hot.

When Is Compost Ready?

Using compost before it is ready can damage plants. Undecayed "brown" materials in the soil can
temporarily reduce plant-available nitrogen. Undecayed "green" materials can harbor pests and
diseases. Immature compost can also introduce weed seeds and root-damaging organic acids.
Compost is ready when:

it smells earthy – not sour, putrid, or like ammonia;

it no longer heats up after it is turned or wetted; and
it has a crumbly texture and it looks like dark soil.

How to Harvest Compost

Compost can be shoveled out of a pile or bin and used just as it is, especially for mulch. Remove
undecayed objects by sifting them through a screen. If you are using compost in preparing soil for
planting or sodding, sift it through a 1-inch mesh screen. Compost used in potting mixes or as top-
dressing on lawns is commonly sifted through a 3/8-inch or 1/2-inch mesh screen.

Make a simple screen by mounting hardware cloth or other durable wire mesh in a sturdy wooden
frame that will fit neatly onto the wheelbarrow or other container into which you will screen the
compost. You can also use a 3' x 3' piece of wire mesh with a 2" x 2" board fastened to opposite
edges. Spread compost onto the mesh frame in a thin layer and shake it; or hold the 2 x 2s (one in
each hand) and roll the compost over the mesh to sift it. You can work the finer material through the
screen with a paddle if it is clumpy. Add the "oversized" material that remains on top of the screen
back into the pile, or into a new pile to help it start composting faster.

Additional Resources

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Publication # GI-028, A

Green Guide to Yard Care, pages 5-14
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Compost for Kids

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