Elements of Active Composting- Materials

For the active composter there are a few key parts of the composting process that they will need to keep
an eye in order to help the compost along in the most efficient way. What exactly those parts are can be
a subject of much heated discussion but in general most people that deal with compost agree on the
following four.

• Temperature

• Material type and ratio

• Moisture level

• Aeration or oxygen in the pile

Having these four aspects of composting in sync can lead to producing quality compost in a efficient and predictable manner. Which for anyone that needs or wants compost on a larger scale it is vitally important to fully understand what the four elements of composting above can do to your pile if they are not managed correctly.

The element I will be covering here is the ratio and type of material you put in your compost. How
much of the carbon rich materials aka Browns and how much of the nitrogen rich materials aka Greens
you put in your compost can have a large impact on the quality, quantity and rate at which you produce
your compost. When building a compost pile the general rule of thumb to be followed is about a 30:1
C:N ratio. This ratio provides the right mix of carbon to nitrogen that allows the microorganisms in the
pile to work at their peak efficiency. Why this ratio is so important comes right down to the
microorganisms and how they use each element. Carbon is used by them as a energy source that they
“burn” to go about their business of making compost. While nitrogen on the other hand is a critical
element in forming cell structures of new microorganisms that help compost the pile.

Getting the Right Mixture

Getting the correct ratio of materials in your pile can be a easy or as hard as you want to make it. There
are ways to directly calculate the C:N ratio of your materials using equations like the ones used by the
Cornell University. Or if you don’t feel like suffering a large headache that the math will give you can
simple guess using a sheet of carbon: nitrogen ratios that can be found all over the Internet. By taking
a look at the general values of C:N in everyday composting materials you can usually make a good
guess at the right amounts of what needs to go into a pile.

One rule of thumb that many composters follow is to always layer your materials. If you add a layer of Greens then you should place a layer of Browns on top of it. One more thing to keep in mind is that composting is not a exact science and no pile will be exactly the same as the last. You must be flexible with your approaches and observant of what your pile is doing. If you pay enough attention to your pile will give you clues to what is going on and with a little research you can fix problems quickly.