How I Hot Compost
- I acknowledge that a compost pile is alive. It needs nutrients, fiber, air, water, and protection.
- I put a mix of traditional greens and browns in my pile. I divert stuff from the landfill or find stuff in the wild. Manure adds microbes.
- I add lots of material at once. I get scraps from neighbors; the more the merrier.
- I give my pile air. I layer bulky things in the mix to add pore space. Sometimes I also turn it.
- I monitor moisture. I add water as the heat evaporates some; I add dry material if the pile is soggy.
- I have a big, covered pile. I use four pallets for the sides and plywood, metal roofing, or tarps for the top. This protects the pile from the rain and makes it self-insulating from the cold.
- I have a biofilter. I put several inches of dry material on top of the pile to filter our smells and keep critters at bay.
- I have a composting thermometer. It lets me know what is going on so I know what to do. If it's not heating up, I need to check the above list. If it's too hot I split the pile in two.
Composting can be as easy or hard as you make it. Don't worry about what you NEED to do--just experiment! You can read about lots of things NOT to do or ALWAYS to do, but it comes down to this: No one is the boss of composting! Every situation is different: different climate, different resources, different schedules, different set-ups.....Be creative, get to work, and see what you can turn into soil!
