How to heat up compost

[Bryce Thomas]

I have my pile all ready

layer 1: sticks for aeration
layer 2: about 3.5 inches of dead leaves, added a small handful of soil for microbe growth
layer 3: .5 inches of live green leaves with small apple slices

I turn it a couple times a day, pretty much when I walk past it and I go into my backyard like 5 times a day give or take and shake the bin a little and water it down a little bit every other day

It stays room temperature. Yes it has air holes all around the bin, all 4 sides and including the bottom and the lid as well

The bin gets about 4.5 hours of direct light everyday

So how do I get my pile to heat up?

 

[Nigel27]

It need to be at least 3feet by 3feet and 3 feet high. And proper ratio of browns and greens. Pee on it

 

[Bryce Thomas]

It need to be at least 3feet by 3feet and 3 feet high. And proper ratio of browns and greens. Pee on it

Ok. My bin is 16 gallon plastic bin. I have been peeing on it sometimes, but how do I measure ratio of browns and greens

 

[rosemarythyme]

A 16 gallon bin will never really "heat up" - you're going to be composting cold. I have 90 gallon black bins and they don't really get that hot even when they're pretty full.

You're turning it a lot. I stir my bins maybe once a week, if that. Enough to get aeration in but otherwise it just sits.

I don't really measure browns and greens. If it smells, I add more browns.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

A 16 gallon bin will never really "heat up" - you're going to be composting cold. I have 90 gallon black bins and they don't really get that hot even when they're pretty full.

You're turning it a lot. I stir my bins maybe once a week, if that. Enough to get aeration in but otherwise it just sits.

I don't really measure browns and greens. If it smells, I add more browns.

If 90 gallon black bins dont heat up then how does compost even work?

 

[rosemarythyme]

If 90 gallon black bins dont heat up then how does compost even work?

90 gallon isn't really that big. You need bigger piles if you want it to heat up. My MIL just dumps her yard waste in a fenced off corner of the yard until she gets a big old pile maybe 2 yards wide, and the center of that will heat up as it piles up.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

90 gallon isn't really that big. You need bigger piles if you want it to heat up. My MIL just dumps her yard waste in a fenced off corner of the yard until she gets a big old pile maybe 2 yards wide, and the center of that will heat up as it piles up.

Now that is what I call the easy life lol

So if I just mind the eyesore I just throw tree trimmings, grass clippings, all brown and green matter into a pile and let it rot? if i turn it and mist it that is and make sure the pile is contained, not turn it as spread it everywhere it will turn into black gold and I dont even need a bin? if so 10 years of gardening just got a whole lot easier

 

[rosemarythyme]

Now that is what I call the easy life lol

So if I just mind the eyesore I just throw tree trimmings, grass clippings, all brown and green matter into a pile and let it rot? if i turn it and mist it that is and make sure the pile is contained, not turn it as spread it everywhere it will turn into black gold and I dont even need a bin? if so 10 years of gardening just got a whole lot easier

Bins are good for keeping things tidy and deterring pests (like your neighbors may not appreciate having to look at and smell your compost piles). But if there's nothing restricting you and you don't mind looking at a pile, you can simply pile it up somewhere.

If you want it somewhat contained, you can make a 3 sided "bin" using pallets or scrap wood or wire fencing, and that will help keep it somewhat in one area. My MIL uses a dog playpen so she can open the gate to push in/remove materials.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Bins are good for keeping things tidy and deterring pests (like your neighbors may not appreciate having to look at and smell your compost piles). But if there's nothing restricting you and you don't mind looking at a pile, you can simply pile it up somewhere.

If you want it somewhat contained, you can make a 3 sided "bin" using pallets or scrap wood or wire fencing, and that will help keep it somewhat in one area. My MIL uses a dog playpen so she can open the gate to push in/remove materials.

Ok. If I buy a 3 foot tall 4 by 4 foot plastic bin (hopefully black) will it begin to heat up? In my bin right now the top is barely moist, the bottom is barely moist but the middle is kinda wet like a potato core is warmer towards the core. Any ideas?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ok. If I buy a 3 foot tall 4 by 4 foot plastic bin (hopefully black) will it begin to heat up? In my bin right now the top is barely moist, the bottom is barely moist but the middle is kinda wet like a potato core is warmer towards the core. Any ideas?

You could try it? Mine just don't ever get hot-hot because we don't tend to get hot enough weather to get it going (so I never throw seeds in my compost, as they don't get cooked). If your climate is hotter it should heat up the center of the bin more.