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To Turn or not to Turn - Page 2 of 3
- Remember that composting requires 4 things: brown materials, green materials, water and air. You can speed up the composting process by aerating the pile often. You add more air when you open the bin, reassemble it nearby, and fork the material back into the now empty bin. This process mixes the material and adds air. If you want a good amount of compost for spring planting, then you should start turning your pile once a week or even every 3 days or so -- 6-8 weeks ahead of time. In the summer and fall, you may not need so much compost, so you might choose to be more relaxed about turning. Some people don't turn over the pile at all. They keep alternating greens, browns and soil all year long. They add water when needed and in about a year there is usually a layer of compost in the bottom of the bin. The great thing about the OverEasyTM composter is that you can also combine these methods. You can let the pile sit for months and whenever you want to speed up the process, you can open the bin, fork the material over and amend it as needed. The compost will heat up and start cooking again.
- Treat your back kindly as you lift and transfer the compost. Wet compost can be heavy so practice moderation when loading your fork. Bend your legs as you lift the forkfuls of compost. If you'd be more comfortable, lower the height of the bin by cutting along the guidelines with a utility knife. Consider using a sturdy step stool to get up higher before you drop the compost into the bin.
- Amend the composting material whenever you turn the pile. If the material in your pile is dry as you are turning it, add water as you fork the material into the reassembled bin. If the material is not heating up, then you should add green material as you turn the pile -- grass clippings, kitchen scraps, weeds, other people's kitchen scraps and coffee grounds. Do sprinkle in some more soil or finished compost, too. In general, it's best to leave grass clippings on your lawn. However, it doesn't hurt to add them to your compost pile from time to time. If the material is wet and slimy, add brown materials as you fork the material back into the bin. If you don't have any leaves saved from fall, get a bale of hay and incorporate it as you turn the slimy stuff. Remember to add brown every time you add green material.
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