As the proud owner of a compost pile, take heed of this crucial maintenance step. You should be turning your compost about 2 to 3 times per week. This process is not just for getting in a good workout. Compost turning also opens up the pile’s pore space, allowing for more oxygen and heat to vent through the pile.
The more oxygen content in your compost pile, the more your beneficial bacteria will thrive. The more beneficial bacteria in your compost, the more heat they will generate as they break things down. The faster your beneficial bacteria break down bio-waste, the more bio-waste you can turn into more compost.
That is about as simple as it gets. Read on for more details on the benefits of turning your compost pile, tumbler, or mound.
Why you should turn your compost pile 2 to 3 times a week
To clarify, the phrase “turning compost” describes disturbing the compost significantly enough to saturate it with oxygen-rich air. Some might also call this step, “aeration” since the end goal is to supply the pile and its microorganisms with oxygen.
Composting is an aerobic process that requires oxygen for microorganisms to function efficiently. When you deprive the pile of oxygen via compaction, overwatering, or oversaturating it with nitrogen-rich waste, the result is a smelly and inefficient compost pile. Regular aeration will help remedy many of these common issues.
The benefits of turning your compost pile include:
- Driving the productivity of microbial communities
- Distributing nutrients evenly throughout the pile
- Reducing excessive moisture
- Maintaining the pile’s temperature
- Prevening compaction
- Preventing overconsumption of nutrients by beneficial bacteria
- Preventing unpleasant odors from methane production
Distributing nutrients and driving the productivity of microbial communities
Again composting is an aerobic process. Hypothetically, Imagine your bin as a furnace. The fire inside the furnace needs two crucial components to continue burning: fuel and oxygen. In this case, the fuel is the organic matter that feeds the bin’s bacteria, and the oxygen is what they need to metabolize organic waste and reproduce.
It is also entirely possible for your microbes to run out of food, especially toward the middle of the pile where it is warmest. Once your tiny composting army eats through its food reserves, you will notice a significant drop in heat and decomposition.
Keep that hypothetical furnace burning with healthy microbial activity! Turning your compost is a great way to put oxygen back into the pile and help the tiny detritivores find new food to break down.
Turning prevents compost compaction
Over time, compost will compact on its own from Earth’s gravity constantly pushing down on it and from lost moisture. As it compacts, pockets of air inside the pile will shrink, restricting the beneficial bacteria’s access to oxygen. Without oxygen, the environment inside the compost pile becomes anaerobic and that’s when issues of odor and methane emissions begin to develop.
Open up those pours by turning the compost regularly. If you maintain this habit regularly, you will never have to worry about your compost pile becoming anaerobic.
Signs that you are not turning the compost enough
If your compost displays any of these symptoms:
- Foul odors
- Pests
- Slow decomposition
- Overheating (above 160 degrees Fahrenheit at the center)
- Too wet
Try turning your compost first before starting over completely or resorting to extreme measures like pesticides. Especially in the case of odors, take a break from watering, give it a tumble and then mix in some carbon-rich material for good measure (ie. paper, cardboard, woodchips).
Sings that you are turning the compost too frequently
Turning too frequently can be just as bad as not turning it at all. If your compost is:
- Dried out
- Slow to decompose
- Lacking fungal growth
- Cold (colder than 120 degrees Fahrenheit at the center)
It’s time to put down the pitchfork for a bit and pick a garden hose. The tell-tale sign that you are moving your compost too much is low moisture content. Keeping the pile moist, never soaked, is a big part of keeping your mini ecosystem happy and healthy. Bacteria, fungus, and insects alike depend on moisture to thrive, and if you want the right critters to make your compost pile their preferred home, you need to keep that in check.
A good rule of thumb to check if your compost has enough water is to get your hands a bit dirty. With gloves, grab a handful of that compost, give it a gentle squeeze, and let it fall out of your hand. If it crumbles like a slice of chocolate cake, then you’re good to go. If it falls like sand through your fingers or feels grainy, give it some water and let it soak in before you turn it. Just be careful that it doesn’t oversaturate and pool beneath the pile.
The Subpod Compost Aerator
This is the perfect tool for aerating your personal compost pile. Subpod’s compost aerator makes aeration a breeze. From its spiral design to its high-quality parts, this tool is built to last.
Features
- Food-grade stainless steel frame
- Durable polypropylene handle
- Spare parts bundle
- Easy storage
What makes this tool so great
The Subpod Compost Aerator is great at spiraling into your compost pile giving you more leverage to mix up contents at the pile’s center. Its spiral design also helps protect any beneficial critters from being damaged.