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Cold or Hot Composting

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The heat that is generated from the breaking down of organic matter into compost is known as hot composting. There is also cold composting, it doesn’t take as much of a commitment from you to upkeep or manage but it does take quite a bit longer to yield results.

Hot (or active) composting uses microbes to breakdown the matter. Some experts will recommend you inoculate the compost with live organisms purchased from a gardening supply store in order to get the process started. While others will recommend adding in healthy top soil as it also contains live organisms that will convert your organic matter into compost material. Either way, once the process is started your compost pile will generate heat. You should tend or check on your pile every second day to ensure good air circulation is maintained and that the right level of moisture is kept.

If you do not have the desire or time to maintain a regular compost bin, starting a cold compost (or slow compost) may suit you better. In a cold compost, you are only using your yard waste and grass clippings instead of a combination of outdoor material with your kitchen scraps. All that is required of you is to pile your leaves and grass clippings into a pile and wait. The process is slow and long – it will not yield usable compost for up to one year. Be careful not to put in any weeds or other undesirable plants, as there is no heat they will survive the composting process and can grow again when you use the finished material.

If you generate quite a bit of yard waste and it is too much to include in your regular compost bin consider using both methods. You can have the best of both composting methods.

 

Composting Precautions

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There are living creatures that you want in your compost bin such as microbes and red earthworms and then there are the creatures you wan to stay away like raccoons, rodents, and bears). A compost bin can be very appealing to an animal, easy access to food. As a rule, you should never put animal matter into compost (left over meat and bones) not only do they not make for good composting they will be a magnet to wild animals. Following are some more tips to help keep your compost bin free from pests of all sizes.

An odor-free compost bin is less likely to attract bears or any other animal friends. You can achieve this by rotating or turning the compost pile at least once per week. Another precaution that should be taken is to have a bin with a cover whether it is commercially made or one you make yourself.

Another thing you can do is to put brown food such as lawn clippings on top of the green food (food scraps and other kitchen waste). You can purchase lime at your local nursery or hardware store to sprinkle on the top of your composting materials that will increase the rate at which everything decomposes.

The location of your compost heap should not be near the edge of your property especially if you live near a forest or park area. This makes it very easy for animals to help themselves without being exposed by walking through your backyard.

If bears or raccoons are a big concern in your community you can look into a neighborhood compost pile. In addition to making composting more accessible to a larger group of people, you can look into an electric or barbed wire fence to ensure no unwanted animals come looking for a free lunch.

The Best Place for your Composting Bin

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The most common location for a compost pile or bin is in close proximity to your kitchen or garden. You want it in a convenient location to make it easy and second nature to bring your food scraps or garden waste to the composter. If you have a large yard, the yard waste can get quite heavy and you don’t want to be transporting the heavy material be a deterrent to composting.

There are other considerations that need to be taken into account when choosing a composting site. Keeping all the below suggestions in mind, you also want to make sure that it is in an area that children or animals will not disturb or get into the compost bin.

The ground should be level and not prone to collecting excessive water (it needs good drainage). Your compost pile needs to stay moist but you do not want too much water or it will not work properly. In addition to level ground, make sure you can easily access the area with a wheelbarrow.

A shady location is best, if the compost pile gets too much sunlight it will get hot and dry out. Again, the pile needs to stay moist and overheating it with external sources will not help.

A water source should be close by – you can reach the area with your garden hose or easily carry enough water to moisten the pile if it becomes too dry. Remember you just want to moisten the pile with a spray of water not drench it.

If you are beginning with a one bin system, you may want to leave enough room for a second bin down the road. By having two bins side-by-side, you can easily rotate or turn the pile by moving material from one bin to the next.

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