Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Moisture
A compost pile should be moist like a wrung-out sponge. This means when you take a
fist full and squeeze it, it should feel wet but not drip water. This is somewhere between
30% and 70% moisture, with 50-60% generally considered ideal. If it's too moist, it can
turn anaerobic and promote the wrong microbes, as well as leach a lot of nutrients. If it's
not moist enough, decomposition will be very slow, but this is a better problem than too
much moisture, which takes more effort to fix.
You'll probably need to have a hose handy while you build the pile so you can occasion-
ally spray it with some water as you build it. I generally like to cover my pile when it's
done being put together. In a dry climate, it helps decrease evaporation and in a wet cli-
mate, it protects the pile from too much moisture.
If the pile gets too moist or if it starts to smell bad, you can take it apart, air it out, and
then add more carbon materials when you put it back together. If it gets too dry, water it
and perhaps apply more nitrogen materials. You may need to take it apart here, too, in order
to get it sufficiently wet. Hay and straw, for example, can keep water out of the pile. Actu-
ally, this can be used to your advantage in a wet climate because straw can act as a natural
tarp if you put a layer on top.
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