Last week we started talking about compost and its many contributions to the garden. It’s important to remember that when we harvest our fruits and vegetables we are taking organic matter out of the garden, and so it becomes necessary to put organic matter back in. This follows the age old principle of replacing what you take and maybe leaving just a little bit extra as a token of appreciation. This cycle of taking and giving ensures sustainability.

There are lots of ways to create compost. It doesn’t need to be expensive and it doesn’t need to be time consuming, but of course it can be both! The point is to do something, the method you choose will depend on you. How much time and space do you have, how much physical energy and how much do you want to invest monetarily? The answers to these questions will determine the type of compost system that is right for you. There are two main systems of composting, hot systems and cold systems, and there are many methods to use for each system.

Let’s start with cold composting. This is pretty much what I do. It is easy and takes a very little effort. In this system you basically build a pile and let it sit. It’s a good idea in our climate to situate the pile under some tress or on the shady side of a shed (but not right up against it). You can use bins that you make or you can buy a fancy bin, it really doesn’t matter to the compost. I add to mine over the course of time until the pile gets too big then I start another one and let the first pile sit. Adding stuff over time is called continuous composting. At certain times of year there is so much material available that I build the pile all at once making one big batch of compost. This is known as batch composting. The piles are left to sit sometimes for a year or two before they are ready. The draw backs to cold composting are that the pile never gets really hot so weed seeds and disease organisms may not be killed and the pile can take a long time to break down.

Now if you have the time and energy and are really into it you will want to try your hand at hot composting. The goal here is to get usable compost in a short period of time. Hot composting can produce usable results in as little as two months. Most commercially available bins are cold composting units but there are a few models that employ turning or tumbling that can create hot compost. These are usually the more expensive models. If you are a little bit handy you can find plans for a rotating barrel and build one yourself. There are some very specific instructions for using these types of composter and for best result you have to follow the directions.

To build your own free hot pile you need to wait until you have a critical mass of material. Usually this is 1 cubic yard. This is the minimum volume needed to keep the pile hot enough. Remember the carbon nitrogen ratio and build the pile using 1 part green to 2 parts brown. The size of the material you use should be 2-3 inches, so chop or shred corn stalks and other larger stuff. Throwing a handful of garden soil on each layer will inoculate the pile with microorganisms that will jump start decomposition. Continue layering material until you have a pile that is at least 3 feet wide, 3 feet long and 3 feet tall or 5 feet wide at the base and 3 feet tall and wide at the top. I know this sounds persnickety and it is, that’s the deal with hot composting, you have to get it pretty exact or you end up with a cold pile. Ok, so in addition to getting critical mass and getting the pile dimensions right, you need to keep the moisture level of the pile just right. Think wrung out sponge, not too wet and not too dry. Next it is imperative that you aerate your pile by turning it weekly. Yes, the entire pile should be turned every week. This gives you the opportunity to check moisture levels on the inside of the pile in addition to adding air to the pile. This will produce a pretty hot pile. The heat is generated by the microorganisms doing their stuff to break everything down. To keep tabs on the temperature you will want to purchase a compost thermometer. Compost thermometers have a long probe that can get into the middle of the pile (you can get them online at groworganic.com). Your temps should read 120-150 degrees during the first month or so after that the pile will be finishing up and the temperature will drop to between 80-110 degrees. Your pile is done when it no longer heats up and the original material is no longer recognizable.

With hot composting you get really amazing results in a short period of time but you have to earn it by doing the work. Weather you choose the cold method or the hot method really is up to you and what works best for you. Just do something. Your garden deserves it and needs us to participate in the circle of life. We can’t keep taking without giving back.