The Composting Process
The output of a compost pile is a whole host of beneficial bacteria, fungi, and protozoa that serve as the interface between your plants and the soil.
A thermal, aerobic composting process is a great way to increase beneficial micro-organisms and to eliminate disease causing organisms and weed seeds in manure and other farm wastes.
A successful compost pile depends on three major factors:
Successfully managing these three factors will create a biologically dense and diverse compost for use on your own farm.
Recipe
A well-performing pile consists of various components of typical farm and/or organic wastes. These proportions should be maintained to get the maximum benefit from the composting process.
| Component | Percent of Pile |
|---|---|
| Hot or High Nitrogen Materials | 15-20% |
| Green Materials | 30% |
| Woody or High Carbon Materials | 50-55% |
Moisture and Oxygen
Soil micro-organisms thrive when their home is 40-60% moisture content. This sweet spot allows oxygen to get into the pile and the critters to have enough water to live.
Too dry and the critters will crinkle up and die.
Too wet and the anaerobic (low oxygen and disease causing organisms) will begin to dominate the pile.
A simple squeeze test should be performed daily on the compost pile.
Time at Temperature
A compost pile gains temperature because the organisms inside are multiplying at rapid rate. When 1M organisms reproduce, it induces a 1° F increase in pile temperature. These organisms need oxygen to survive and thrive. Managing a turning schedule for the pile maintains the balance between oxygen in the pile and temperature in the pile .
Temperature should be monitored daily.
A pile should be turned at certain temperature gates. The turning happens whenever it crosses one of the thresholds.
The temperature thresholds are
- 72 hours at or above 131°F
- 48 hours at or above 150°F
- 24 hours at or above 160°F
- 12 hours at or above 165°F
- Above 170°F the pile should be turned immediately.