Yesterday I started a new pile with:
3 garden bags of chopped oak leaves, with some pine needles.
Hunks of weeds from flower and veggie garden.
About 20 lbs of alfalfa pellets.
1 full bag of lawn mower clippings.
The pile got up to 110 degrees by morning while air temp was in the 60's, this is the hottest I’ve ever been able to achieve any compost. I know many folks regularly can get their piles 140 degrees or higher, but this is the best I’ve done so far
The questions is how can I maintain the heat, and when and if should it be turned and how should ingredients be added.
I understand a hot pile is not necessary but now that it is I would like to keep it going.
I also understand if it smells add browns, if it's cold add greens, and be sure of adequate moisture but not too wet.
Are the oak leaves dried? Everything else is green and you need browns, if the leaves are dry, you're kewl. If not, its gonna get pretty rank. :)
Keep it wet and keep it aerated and it'll be ok.
Add water to the top (AFTER taking the temp), esp the edges of the pile as needed to keep moist. In the heat/drought we're having here, mine can use a sprinkle daily. I never turn the pile (as long as it's not stinky) when it's above 100 or so. When the temp falls to the air temp, I flip the whole pile, adding water as necessary while building, then let it sit, and it will usually heat again to at least 110 or 120. When my husband cuts the grass, (or the rare event when a neighbor bags grass clippings), I add as much to the pile as possible, all at once. Same process, greens and browns and water. Grass clippings always get it cooking. Then I repeat the whole process. Works well for me.
maintaining heat isn't the object - the temp will peak and as the food available close to the bacteria is used, along with the air and water, the temp will fall - that's the time to turn it, adding air, and if necessary, water, and mixing the less decomposed material into the middle - the next time the temp peaks and starts to drop, it should be close to useable, or at minimum it will be ready to turn into an outa the way spot to 'mature'
if you can't gather enough material to build a pile fairly fast, then just keep adding material to the middle of the pile, but don't expect the temp to stay high for any length of time unless you're defeating the purpose of the game by purchasing products just to decompose ... like alfalfa pellets, which could better be used directly in the garden .... composting is waste reduction, resource recycling and nutrient conservation
the pile will cool as the bacterial activity slows because both the Nitrogen they need to digest the Carbon and because the Carbon is mostly digested. At that point turn the pile since the bacterial activity will be greatest in the middle of the pile.
Do not wet your material excessively, compost only needs to be just slightly damp, not wet, about as damp as a well wrung out sponge. Too wet stops bacterial activity because that water displaces air.
Monitor your compost pile and when the temperature has peaked and starts to fall, that is the time to turn it and if necessary (seldom in my experience) add more moisture. The second temperature peak generally will not be as high as the first but you do the same. Often that whole process, Temperature rise, temperature peak, temperature drop, takes 3 to 5 days.
