Compost Mythbusters - Continued Yet Again!

Myth #3:  You Have to Turn Your Compost Pile

Truth:  You Don't Have to Turn Your Compost Pile!

Yes, it does help to turn it, but if you don't have time, or are otherwise unable (i.e., too lazy), then that's ok!  It will take longer, that is a certainty, but it's not required.  The beautiful compost in this picture was from an unturned pile.  We started the pile a year ago, in October.  We built it with an entire tree's leaves, all of our tomato vines we grew in 2006, and the contents of our chicken coop. Then we injected it with our biodynamic preps, covered it, and let it sit.  I meant to turn it.  I wanted to turn it, but turn it we did not.  So the pile just sat there, getting smaller and smaller as the decomposition process continued. 

When I wanted to start using it this past fall, we dug into it and discovered that it was ready to go.  A bit chunky, yes, but nevertheless crumbly, dark, and absolutely fabulous.  We screened it through our compost mesh, and have been adding it to our beds ever since.

Bottom line:  if you want quicker compost, go ahead and turn it; try to get the outside parts into the middle.  If you don't want to turn it, don't.  As long as it's built properly, with thin layers (2 to 4 inches thick) of alternating brown and green matter, it will eventually decompose nicely.  Takes about a year. 

Yet one more reason to go ahead and start that compost pile of yours.  Just do it!

Comments

[Nate]

I admit to being a compost wacko when I started, aiming for a finished pile in 2 months. But now I am much more lazy about composting.

Besides, I hear that compost made the slow way is more complete than fast compost. ;-)

[miss hathorn]

Slow is good. And thanks for your comments on my little film.

[Michael Tierra]

I wonder about the inclusion of animal waste products, spoiled meat, dead rats, etc in a compost heap. I think I heard you say it was fine but there are also opinions that the inclusion of animal waste products changes the type of bacteria and may impede the compost process.