Compost is able to work due to the fact that compost relies upon two different groups of material to provide the necessary balance within the compost pile. One group of materials contains the element that provide carbon, which is the element that provides structure and long-term energy to the compost pile. The other group of materials provides nitrogen, which feeds the microbes that break down the materials that are add to the compost pile.
When these two elements are provided in the correct proportion to the compost pile, the compost pile will generate heat, remain aerated, transform into finished soil, and not produce bad odor. However, if these elements are not in the correct proportions, the composting process may stall or the compost pile may develop bad odors. Materials that contain carbon are often referred to as “browns.” Carbon-rich materials is dry and fibrous, and contain the elements necessary to absorb moisture from the compost pile and create air pockets within the compost pile.
How to Balance Carbon and Nitrogen in Compost
Examples of carbon-rich materials include shredded cardboard, straw, leaf, and lint from laundered clothing. Carbon-rich materials tend to decompose slow on their own, which ensures that the composting process does not break down too quick. Additionally, the slow decomposition of carbon-rich materials offsets the rapid decomposition of nitrogen-rich material.
Because of these factors, compost piles tend to contain more carbon-rich materials then nitrogen-rich materials. Nitrogen-rich materials are referred to as “greens.” Nitrogen-rich materials are the opposite of the carbon-rich materials. Nitrogen-rich materials contain moisture and proteins, and tend to decompose relatively quickly.
Examples of nitrogen-rich materials include kitchen scrap, grass clippings, vegetable scraps, and trimmings from plant. The nitrogen within these materials provides the microbes with the nutrient that they need to multiply, which creates the heat that kills harmful weed seeds and pathogens. However, if people add only nitrogen-rich materials to the compost pile, these materials will become sliminess and will release strong odors as a result of the lack of carbon-based materials to absorb the excess moisture and ammonia from the nitrogen.
Many people may experience issue with composting if they add composting materials to the compost pile without considering the ratio of carbon to nitrogen materials. For instance, if people add many kitchen and lawn compost scraps to the compost pile but do not add any carbon-rich material, the compost pile may become wet and anaerobic (lacking oxygen). Such anaerobic compost piles will often emit the odor of ammonia, and will also tend to attract flies to the compost pile.
In such instance, people can remedy the situation by adding a layer of cardboard or straw to the compost pile and incorporating the cardboard or straw into the compost pile. If compost piles become too cold and dry, people can fix composting by adding nitrogen-rich materials to the compost pile or adding water to the compost pile. Within the reference grid for the composting process is information regarding the rate at which various composting materials will break down, and how thick the layers of those composting materials should be.
Materials that contain slow-decomposing elements, such as wood chips or corn stalks, should be added to the compost pile in thin layers. Materials that decompose more rapidly, such as coffee grounds or grass clippings, should be spread thinly and covered by composting material immediately. Additionally, turning the compost heap every few days will ensure that oxygen is still present within the compost pile, and will ensure that the center of the compost heap does not become anaerobic.
Some composting materials should be added in small amounts to the compost pile. Examples of such materials include pine needles and wood ash. Each of these materials should be added in amounts less than ten percent of the total volume of the compost pile.
Adding too many pine needle to the compost pile may lead to the compost pile becoming too acidic for some plant. Additionally, adding too much wood ash to the compost pile may raise the pH of the compost pile, which can cause the nitrogen in the compost pile to leave the compost pile altogether. If compost piles experience issues, the troubleshooting section of the chart can help people to fix those issues.
For instance, if a compost pile begins to emit the odor of ammonia, it contains too much nitrogen and needs more carbon-based materials. If compost piles become dry and crumbly, they require both water and nitrogen-rich materials to rehydrate and provide microbes with necessary nutrients. If composting flies begin to appear in the compost pile, these flies are likely being attracted to food scraps that are on the compost pile.
Burial of these food scraps under a layer of carbon-based materials will discourage these composting flies. Each of these issues resulted due to an imbalance in the amount of carbon- and nitrogen-rich materials in the composting pile. People can monitor compost piles by simply taking handfuls of compost from the pile and assessing the moisture content of the compost.
If compost is very dry, adding water to the compost pile or adding nitrogen-rich materials will help to moisten the compost. If water runs out of handfuls of compost between a person’s finger, adding cardboard or straw to the composting pile and turning the compost heap will allow for the compost to absorb moisture. The end result of composting are materials that are finished compost.
Finished compost will not contain any of the original materials that entered the composting pile, will be dark in color, crumbly in texture, and will not possess any odor. Finished compost is ready to be added to plants to provide the nitrogen and carbon elements to those plants. The chart helps people to easily remember what materials contain carbon and nitrogen elements, and how each material can be utilized in the composting process.
Thus, by understanding each of the elements of composting, people can create and maintain a composting pile that is functioning proper and efficiently.