Most expert composters suggest a moisture content of 40% to 60%. A quick, hands-on visual check should tell you if the pile is too dry: it will lack heat and there'll be little evidence of organic material break down. If you compost is too wet, it's probably slimy and smells bad.
Should compost be wet? Yes, compost needs to be wet, but not soaking wet. Instead, compost should be as damp as a wrung-out sponge. If it's too dry, the process will slow down, and if it's too wet, the process will stop altogether.
You want to keep your compost moist, not soggy but not dry. It is the living organisms that break down the compost, and they will die if the pile is allowed to dry out. So you water if as often as needed to keep it moist.
For garden plants in need of a genuine nitrogen boost, once or twice a month is generally fine, though some people will add highly diluted pee a couple of times a week. If you have more pee to give, try your lawn, trees and bushes.
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).
It will lose much of its value if materials are left to decompose too long. The more time compost is left to sit around, the more “colloidal” it becomes. In other words, it becomes more and more compact as the composting microbes continue to feed on the waste materials.
Can I Just Put Compost On Top Of Soil? Compost can be added directly on top of the soil when introduced as a mulch layer for the plants. For a more immediate benefit, work the compost into 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. Compost is ready when it has cooled, turned a rich brown color, and has decomposed into small soil-like particles.
They are drawn to the food waste which they help to break down naturally. If you want to reduce their numbers, leave the lid off your compost bin for 3-4 days. If you do this, make sure to cover the surface of the compost so it doesn't dry out.
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. This also means that your pile will dry out faster, especially in warm southern climates.
After the pile reaches around 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit, you want to stop adding greens and limit the amount of browns so that the compost can cure. Keep turning the piles regularly to add oxygen.
Simple organic activators you may have on hand are lime (limestone), blood meal (yes, it's dried blood), fish meal, and poultry, rabbit, and horse manure. Rabbit food (pellets) and dry dog food are also organic activators that are often have on-hand.
Vinegar is a natural weed controller because of its acidic nature. It also deters pests and can work wonders in your garden. Apple cider vinegar also contains many valuable nutrients that can benefit the compost pile. Pickles can also generate vinegar, which is also compostable.
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.
Turning too often (every day) disrupts the formation of the fungi and actinomycetes that do much of the composting work and may prevent the pile from heating up completely. For the fastest, most efficient decomposition, a pile should be left essentially alone to “cook” until it starts to cool.
Covered bins and heaps allow waste to heat up quickly and compost faster. A lid also keeps out heavy winter rains which can chill or overly wet your compost heap.
Temperatures rising in a hot-compost pile come from the activity of numerous organisms breaking down organic matter. To keep a pile running hot, pay attention to four elements: carbon, nitrogen, water, and air. A hot pile requires enough high-nitrogen materials to get the pile to heat up.
The Short Answer. In most cases, a compost pile does not need a cover. Unfinished compost breaks down into a terrific soil additive if the pile is uncovered the whole time. Only three things are necessary for effective composting: air, water and a blend of brown and green material.
Almost everyone advises putting down a layer of coarse material — corn cobs and husks, sticks, thick fibrous stalks from vegetables, or tall flowers. This layer improves aeration at the bottom of the compost pile.
Home gardeners are encouraged to wear a face mask and gloves while handling potting mix and compost, and to wash their hands thoroughly, to avoid contracting Legionnaires' disease.
Don't Place the Compost Bin Under a Tree
Trees have hungry root systems seeking out nutrients and water. If you put your bin too close to a tree or big shrub, the roots will end up growing into the base of your compost heap.
Drill holes in each bin (5/16 inch holes are good). Bottom: Drill one hole in the center and six others spaced around the bottom of the bin. Sides: Drill one row of holes around the bin at the height of eight inches from the bottom with each hole eight inches apart.