Any tips for a first-time composter?

Question

I built a compost bin about 3 feet X 3 feet X 3 feet and filled it with fall leaves and grass clippings. For about 2 months, I've been stirring in coffee grounds (with paper filters), fruit and veggie peelings, tea bags, etc, while being careful to leave out meat scraps and dairy products. The pile, after being stirred and watered regularly, appears to be decreasing in height, but there's one thing that bothers me. It's quite cold where I live and I've read that a successful compost pile should steam on a cold morning when you turn it (due to the action of the microorganisms speeding the decay along). My pile has yet to do this, and I'm wondering if that means I'm doing something wrong. It appears my composting is working, but is there anything else I could be doing differently?

Answer 1

For a hot compost you'll need a higher proportion of nitrogen next time: add some manure or a higher proportion of green clippings.

I put all my garden clippings and weeds in the compost. First I spread them over a paved area and run the lawn mower over them, to get it reasonably fine.

Don't worry if it's not heating up: it'll still break down, but a bit slower.

Answer 2

My father always composted when I was a kid. I remember the part about all the additives, and his was outside, so he never had to water it. The part that seems odd to me, is that you are constantly stirring and turning it. He never did that until he actually needed some of the compost. Then he would carefully pull what he needed from under the pile and put the rest back.

You may be stirring it too much and so the decay process is not as strong as it should be due to a lot of new stuff being in with the old. You may also be watering it too much and washing alot of the organisms away, so they have to keep starting over.
Try leaving it alone for a little while and see if it starts to steam. If not then consult a nursery.

You're definitely doing the right thing by avoiding meat and dairy. Vegetation only!

Answer 3

As a long-time composter, my advice is: stop worrying and pat yourself on the back. Composting does slow down, if not stop, in cold weather, and in any event the steaming you mention only lasts briefly, a few days, and you need lots of nitrogen-rich materials--GRASS--to make it happen. It does sound like you're doing it correctly.

Incidentally, I stopped using compost piles, as you need two of them--one to stir and let cook, and the other for fresh materials. It takes up space I don't have. I dig a trench directly in the garden, 18 inches deep, and gradually fill it with fresh vegetable scraps and horse poop, add a bit of dirt, dig it in, and so forth until the trench is full. This places the nutrients right in the dirt where you want them, feeds the worms much better, and has the incidental effect of loosening your soil much more deeply than you'd otherwise be doing just by turning it over. Almost everything but eggshells decomposes within 2-3 months that way. I use a mulching lawnmower, and that chops up grass and leaves so well, I can leave them on the lawn to enrich the soil there. I almost never have to rake the lawn in the fall.

Answer 4

Worms. Do you see worms when you stir? If you never saw worms, then you need to add some. Plain ol' red fish bait worms are economical and very good workers. Just go to the nearest bait shop and you can buy them by the dozen. If you saw worms and now you don't, then it has gotten too chilly for them to be out and about. You need to not turn the pile for awhile and let the bottom layer warm up. But even so, they won't be coming back to work until it's warm enough for them to move about. I would also recommend that you work up the dirt under the pile about 5-6 inches down so that they are encouraged to come to the surface and find the goodies you have for them. The epsom salts are a very good addition because they help balance out the ph. Coffee grounds are very acidic and the pile needs to have more alkaline substances. Potatoes peels, banana skins, citrus rinds and egg shells take quite a while to break down and should be chopped or ground up to help them along. A little shredded newspaper is a nice addition also, along with wood ashes if you know anyone who has a fireplace or a firepit. There is also a product that the master gardners use that helps speed up the composting process. You can get information from your county extension office. The worms are the essential ingredient however many micro-organisms you have, without worms you won't get good dirt. I love to make dirt. Enjoy!

Answer 5

There are a number of factors that can affect the composting process. Temperature, the amount of nitrogen, water, oxygen and material used.

Don't be too concerned about it not "steaming" when you aerate, if the volume is decreasing and there is not a foul (rotten) odor you should be ok. Also, make sure your bin has "open sides" like with chicken wire or good spacing between the side boards.

You might consider adding some nitrogen like Blood Meal to increase the nitrogen to carbon ratio.

Go to: http://www.howtocompost.org For more info on the subject.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

Add 5 pounds of Epsom salt when you get almost all the way through. Believe me you will not regret it.