Carbon . The vast bulk of any compost pile should
be carbonaceous material: dried leaves, hay, straw,
partially dried garden gleanings, shredded stalks —
almost any dried organic matter. This is the key
humus-building material and the substance that binds
nitrogen (an otherwise ephemeral element) into the compost.
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Air . Although organic matter can decay
anaerobically (without oxygen), it will do so much quicker,
retain more nutrient value, and — for that matter
— cook with much less stink if it composts
aerobically (with oxygen). To provide good airflow to a
pile, you should, if possible, place thick, hollow material
like cornstalks and sunflower stalks at the bottom of a
pile. Also, be sure that any compost bins or pens have
perforated sides.
Once the pile is built, you can try poking holes in
numerous places with poles or branches to increase aeration
— although I've never noticed that this technique
made much difference. You can try using a "compost
aerator," a pole with a flap like a toggle bolt that opens
up when you pull it up out of your pile (available from
garden supply companies). I've never used one myself. Or
you can just break down and use the age-old method of
adding oxygen to a pile: turning it. Periodically, take a
garden fork and turn the pile — upside down and
inside out — over on an adjacent spot.
Water . A compost pile needs moisture to cure.
However, too much water will drown out the air and stop the
process. The ideal heap, then, is damp but not soggy.
Mass . As pointed out earlier, a compost pile
needs to have at least a cubic yard of bulk to heat up
properly. And the bigger the better — up to a point.
A pile can hardly be too long or wide, but one that is
too tall (say over five feet high) may mash down
and squeeze out air.
Beneficial microorganisms . These are the guys who
actually do all the work. You can buy beneficial bacteria
packets to inoculate your compost, but these little fellows
are pretty much everywhere and will thrive if you give them
an environment they like. One simple way to inoculate your
piles for free is to occasionally sprinkle some good garden
soil — or compost from a previous pile — on the
one you're constructing.
If your pile doesn't heat up, something's wrong.
Putting It All Together
Now that you know the six essential ingredients of a good
compost pile, you need to know how to combine them. The
basic technique is simply to alternate layers of
nitrogenous and carbonaceous materials. If your pile is all
carbon or all nitrogen, your bacteria's diet will be too
far out of whack for them to do their job.
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