You can put your compost pile in the sun or in the shade, but putting it in the sun will hasten the composting process. Sun helps increase the temperature, so the bacteria and fungi work faster.
Composting works in sun or shade Piles in sunny spots will decompose quicker but also dry out faster and may need supplemental watering during hot dry weather. Those located in a shadier spot will stay moist longer but decompose slower. In either case, make sure the soil below the pile is well-drained.
Adding nitrogen-rich materials
The microorganisms in compost need both nitrogen and carbon to work. If there is too much carbon, the process will slow down. To speed up the process try adding 'greens' – items that are high in nitrogen, such as grass clippings or manure.
Higher temperatures in a compost pile speed up the overall process and create high quality compost, the wrong temperature can slow the process or kill off beneficial microbes. Temperatures between 90-140°F are usually considered ideal.
Find an area of your yard that gets at least five hours of sunlight per day for best results. (You can compost in the shade, but it takes a bit longer.) Make or purchase a composting bin to place in your chosen area. A wire ring of chicken wire works just fine, as does a simple pile.
As a rule of thumb, actively decomposing materials should be turned every three to four days. Materials with slowed microbial activity can be turned less often. In tumblers, turning two times a week resulted in higher temperature and faster decomposition than turning once a week or once every other week (Figure 1).
A compost thermometer thrust into the center of a pile makes it even easier to figure out what's going on in there. It can also give startling evidence of how hot a hot pile gets. A good, hot pile will reach at least 130°F (54°C) and stay there for two to four days.
If compost begins to reek of rot and putrid odors, there is likely too much material entering the pile before it has the chance to break down. Alternatively, too much water or too little air can cause an anaerobic purification rather than healthy decomposition.
Ensure that the pile has a carbon: nitrogen ratio of roughly 1:30. Ensure the moisture level is about 50%. Build a pile of at least 36″ x 36″ x 36″, using bins if possible. The pile needs to be turned every day to reach a finished stage within two weeks (or slightly longer).
Wind cools and dries the pile, while excessive rain results in coldness, waterlogging, leaching of plant nutrients, and slowing of the composting process. Excess rain tends to sour compost, because anaerobic (airless) decay predominates instead of aerobic decomposition.
Too much rain.
If you live in a rainy region or maybe are enduring a rainy year, covering the compost pile could keep the compost from becoming waterlogged. When that happens, there's not enough air present inside the pile and the bacteria that break things down die. That's when a compost pile becomes putrid and slimy.
For those who live in colder climates, other considerations and possible benefits do exist for putting a lid on a compost bin. A lid or covering may help insulate and heat up the pile to get the composting process working faster.
Three factors are usually to blame: poor aeration, too much moisture, or not enough nitrogen-rich material in the pile. A compost pile overburdened with materials that mat down when wet—grass clippings, spoiled hay, heaps of unshredded tree leaves—can become so dense that the pile's center receives no air.
While adding compost to your soil can increase soil organic matter and improve soil health and fertility, too much compost can cause problems for the health of your plants and the environment.
Compost loses volume over time
The shrinkage does continue but slows down considerably as the compost becomes more stable. However, it will still slowly decrease in bulk over time. If you leave it too long, you are feeding microorganisms in the compost, rather than in the soil.
Decomposition will be complete anywhere from two weeks to two years depending on the materials used, the size of the pile, and how often it is turned.
The quick answer is that in general, worms can help speed the composting process that turns scraps and debris into usable garden conditioner. Some types of worms consume and digest rotting vegetables and other matter you put into the bin. They excrete material in a form your plants can use as nutrients.
This section describes how to maintain your pile over the weeks or months it will take to generate finished compost. The more often you water and turn the pile (1-2 times per week), the faster material will be composted, but don't be discouraged if you can't maintain it as frequently as is ideal.
Water is one of the four essential ingredients for successful composting. Enough H2O in a pile will help compost microorganisms break down organic wastes. The trick is getting the moisture level just right! Too little, and the microorganisms will struggle to work; too much, and they'll be starved of oxygen.