Composting lets you utilize kitchen and garden waste efficiently by turning it into a Black Gold. Coarse and crumbly dark brown or black soil-like substance is the result that any gardener wants. To get this compost you can use two techniques.
A cold or passive method is when you gradually add waste to your pile and the compost should be ready in 3 to 8 months. In contrast, a batch pile method, also known as hot composting, takes on average 8 weeks. As microorganisms break down greens, pile heats up and they decompose organic material faster.
Whether you are using passive or hot composting methods, you might be wondering when to stop adding to compost?
If you are using a batch method, you need to stop adding new material until a compost pile has finished heating up and cooling down. However, you can keep adding to compost over time if its cold or add-as-you-go compost pile which takes 1 to 2 years to decompose.
Can you keep adding to your compost pile?
In the batch system you can’t add new material to a compost bin until it has finished heating up and cooling down. That’s because the compost in the bin is hot. Adding new waste to it will cool the pile down or it is going to be fresher than the stuff that is already decomposing.
However, some gardeners say that when the compost pile is truly up and running, you can keep adding to your hot compost pile. It shouldn’t slow it down. How do you know that the decomposition has started? If you built the compost pile correctly, it will be up and running on average within 24 to 36 hours.
That is when it heats up to the ideal temperature of 141°F to 155°F. If you just want to throw garden and kitchen waste to a pile and forget about it, passive or cold composting method is for you. You can keep adding to a cold compost pile gradually over time. Keep in mind that you will get the ready compost much slower.
On average, the compost with passive method will take a year or two before you can use it in your garden. That is because organic material will break down slowly over the time as you keep adding new waste to its volume daily or weekly.
How do I know when to stop adding to my compost?
You can use a compost thermometer to find out how hot is your pile. REOTEMP Backyard Compost Thermometer comes with 3 temperature zones that indicate compost’s activity. So, you will know when it is Steady, Active or Hot.
That way you can monitor when your compost pile has finished heating up and cooling down. It will help you to know when to stop adding to compost. Remember that once the pile has stopped heating, it needs to cure for a couple of weeks to be ready for use.
You might be wondering what you can keep adding to a hot compost pile? Kitchen waste! Compost pile that is already cooking can easily absorb new material without being slowed down. For example, kitchen waste is soft and high in nitrogen.
For the pile to absorb it you need to add new material into the center of the hot pile and it will break down within days. Some growers suggest that adding new material to a center of the pile can reduce amount of time you should turn a compost pile.
Why is that? Well, the purpose of turning a compost pile is to increase the air/oxygen exchange. Therefore, adding new material to the middle of the pile can aerate it too. However, you still have to turn the pile every 3 to 7 days as it is going to re-aerate the entire pile.
Is a compost pile ever ‘done’?
You need to stop adding new material to compost for a compost pile to be ‘done’. Many gardeners forger that after the hot pile has stopped heating up, it should cure for a couple of weeks before you are going to use it in your garden.
To achieve full decomposition, several important degradation processes have to take place at cooler temperatures. For example, after heat-loving bacteria die off, mesophilic bacteria continue to break down organic matter at temperatures between 70 and 100°F (21-38°C).
Moreover, fungi and actinomycetes are also activate at these temperatures and contribute to decomposing of tough lignin and cellulose. Also, beetles and worms come back to the pile as soon as temperatures drop. They can’t withstand temperature of 141°F to 155°F which is necessary for weed seeds and disease pathogens to die off.
So, the overall process takes 1 to 2 years for cold composting and 4 to 8 weeks for a hot pile. Although compost doesn’t got bad, if you left the compost too long, it might loose the nutrients. So, it is crucial to use the ready compost straight away.
How can I tell if my compost is ready?
Many people use two or three bins at the same time to know when compost pile is ready. The technique is very simple – use one bin while the other is sitting for a few months. If you need to turn over the full pile, it makes sense to get a third bin.
With the compost bin you might need to wait for a few months until the compost is ready. Ready compost is dark brown or black with a nice earthy smell. If you want to speed up the decomposing process to a few weeks, you can use a compost tumbler.
For example, LIFETIME Double Bin Composter has two separate bins going. So, you can have 50 gallons of premium organic matter in weeks. Moreover, the finished product is never more than a few days apart. The time it takes to compost depends on materials in your pile.
Also, the size of the particles as well as your environment can have an impact. On average, it takes 4-12 weeks. It is important to maintain a green to brown ratio. That is the most common reason why compost tumbler is not heating up.
Conclusion
If you want a ‘done’ compost in the short period of time, then stop adding to the pile once you built it. However, if you want to get the maximum volume of quality compost within a few months, keep adding kitchen waste. Add it to the center of the pile when it is up and running and keep turning the pile as soon as it starts to cool.
If you have a little of kitchen or garden waste to start with or just want to throw it away and forget about it, use cold composting method. It will let you to keep adding to the pile gradually. Eventually, the compost will be ready in one or two years. You at least two bins to use one while the other is curing.
Are you using a compost tumbler or turning compost in the pile? Let me know in the comment section 🙂
Happy Composting!
