Initially, in our Composting 101 Guide, it would be advantageous to know a few things about composting and how the process works before you jump into it and build your compost pile. Mother Nature will take care of most of the composting procedures because she knows what she is doing, even though breaking down of organic matter into compost is quite a complex endeavor. So without getting too bogged down in the science of it, here is a short review of what exactly is going to be happening in your compost pile, and how you can help keep things on track.

How Organic Matter Breaks Down In A Pile

When your organic matter is breaking down, the term composting is used to describe the procedure. Micro organisms in your compost pile will start your waste decomposing in two ways: chemically and physically.

The First Process Of Physical Decomposition

A community of difficult-working little invertebrates obtain the ball rolling by chewing, shredding, and grinding larger pieces of plant matter into smaller pieces with in excess of surface area. This early stage of decomposition permits bacteria and other chemical decomposers to do their part.

The Chemical Decomposition Process

During this phase of composting bacteria and fungi microbes begin to release enzymes that break down the organic compounds present in the pile into more simple compounds. What then happens is as these microbes absorb the nutrients into their bodies, they become the food source for other more complex organisms that in turn eat them. The nutrients that the microbes have eaten are released as these microbes die.

Eventually the decomposed materials get to the point where additional substances cannot be broken down any longer and the process comes to and. the result is a fresh-smelling humus material usable as rich organic soil. The constant food chain of these tiny critters being eaten and eating forms an incredible delicate food network.

Create The Best Environment For Your Compost Pile

Basically all the little microbes do all of the heavy lifting in this procedure and you are providing the monitoring and maintaining of an acceptable living environment for them. The basic needs for these critters are very simple. They need air, food, water and a comfortable climatic condition to thrive.

Shredding The Organic Matter

Just remember that as a general rule, the smaller you make your organic matter in your compost pile, the quicker you will see results and obtain your compost. The cuts and wounds that are made by cutting and chopping of the plant materials make for an easier break-down of the materials by the microbes. Note only are more uniform particles easier to turn in the pile, they also allow for easier chemicals and physical decomposition. Your goal ought to be to keep organic matter in 2 inch long bits and pieces.

Moisture and Air Requirements Of Your Pile

Moisture is crucial in the compost pile as these organisms that are working hard need moisture to survive. Your compost pile should attain between 40 and 60 percent moisture by weight. Test your moisture content from several special areas of the pile by grabbing a handful of the compost and squeezing it. Everything should be damp like a wrung-out sponge; If it feels dryer than this then it is time to add some moisture.

Too much moisture is as bad as not enough; Air flow will be blocked by too much water and this can result in odors in your pile. If you can squeeze more than a drop or two of water out of a handful of ingredients, things are too wet.

If things become too wet, simply turn the compost pile to introduce air to dry out the wet matter. Another way to add moisture is to add it while you are turning the pile. You will not experience bad odors from a properly aerated compost pile. Bad odors commonly indicate that there is too much moisture. If you like, you can additionally add additional dry carbon materials to the pile, like leaves, straw, and sawdust, as these tend to soak up a outstanding deal of moisture.

Turn Up the Heat

The hard-working organisms in your compost pile will generate heat as a by-product of their food eating, reproducing, and dying. You can speed up the procedure of making your compost by properly managing this heat.

Measure the temperature of your compost pile daily with a compost thermometer, to keep track of the heat generation in your pile. Higher temperatures will result in quicker decomposition that do cooler temperatures.

Temperatures in the compost pile will begin to drop as the supply of water, food and air is used up. To increase the temperature of the pile introduce new materials and water to the center of the mix. You will find that temperatures of between 130 and 140 degrees for a minimum of 72 hours will kill all the weed seeds and plant pathogens.

Don't Overdo It

If you overheat your pile, that can be a bad condition too, so be sure to carefully monitor the temperature with a compost thermometer. If the temperature exceeds 170 degrees Fahrenheit, the process will begin to shut down and will severely inhibit the microbe's activity. This can easily be rectified by turning the pile contents down to the pile core, which releases stored heat.

Using this Composting 101 Guide, you can't go wrong to get the best, fresh-smelling, organic compost to use in your landscape and garden.

Want to find out more about our composting guide, Composting 101? Be sure to visit our article. Then, for many more articles on composting techniques, including reviews, be sure to visit Green Living Made Easy.