It's generally recommended to avoid putting a compost pile or heap in a sunny location. Because these systems are open to the elements, they lose moisture quickly by evaporation. In addition, the sun will dry out the heap very quickly. You can also cover a compost pile to help keep some moisture in.
Composting works in sun or shade Piles in sunny spots will decompose quicker but also dry out faster and may need supplemental watering during hot dry weather. Those located in a shadier spot will stay moist longer but decompose slower. In either case, make sure the soil below the pile is well-drained.
The best location for a compost bin is a sheltered spot in partial or full shade, to avoid extremes of temperature and moisture. The micro-organisms (bacteria and fungi) that convert the waste into compost work best in constant conditions.
When you need compost quickly, a covered pile is the way to go. A covering holds heat in the pile, which helps the good bacteria to work more efficiently. The cover effectively speeds up the process, shaving weeks (and even months) off the time required to produce finished compost.
DON'T add meat scraps, bones, grease, whole eggs, or dairy products to the compost pile because they decompose slowly, cause odors, and can attract rodents. DON'T add pet feces or spent cat liter to the compost pile. DON'T add diseased plant material or weeds that have gone to seed.
Add insulation
Worms and other organisms will be more active if your bin is warm in winter, 'cooking' your compost quicker. This is especially important if you are using a wormery. Cover your bin with flattened cardboard boxes, old carpet or large polythene sacks filled with broken-up polystyrene or straw.
As a rule of thumb, actively decomposing materials should be turned every three to four days. Materials with slowed microbial activity can be turned less often. In tumblers, turning two times a week resulted in higher temperature and faster decomposition than turning once a week or once every other week (Figure 1).
Keep it covered!
Covering with a tarp, plastic sheet, or a roof during the rainy season prevents the compost's valuable nutrients from washing away and causing environmental problems. It also keeps compost from becoming a soggy mess in the winter and crispy-dry in the summer.
which carry out the processes of decomposition. Organisms need free contact with both soil and atmosphere and suitable environments of warmth and moisture. The pile should not be directly exposed to sun, wind, rain, nor sited in a low-lying place subject to unnecessary dampness and standing water.
You can put your compost pile in the sun or in the shade, but putting it in the sun will hasten the composting process. Sun helps increase the temperature, so the bacteria and fungi work faster.
For optimal aerobic composting, a compost pile should be 40–60% water. You can use your senses to gauge whether your pile's moisture level is within the ideal range. Your pile should look damp but not soggy, it should feel similar to a wrung-out sponge, and it shouldn't emit an odor.
Above 160°F, compost is too hot. Few thermophilic organisms are able to get much done when their environment is too hot. If left above 160°F, bacteria will cease active decomposition, which in turn will render the pile inert.
A compost thermometer thrust into the center of a pile makes it even easier to figure out what's going on in there. It can also give startling evidence of how hot a hot pile gets. A good, hot pile will reach at least 130°F (54°C) and stay there for two to four days.
The moisture level of a compost pile should be roughly 40-60%. To the touch, the compost pile should feel like a wrung sponge. The moisture level in a compost bin is easy to detect and, for the most part, easy to fix. If the bin is too wet, pools of water will accumulate at the bottom of the bin.
The manure pile should be located in a dry, flat area as far away from downspouts, ditches, streams, rivers, wetlands, ponds, and the property line as possible. Water plus manure makes a muddy mess for you, and can be a source of water pollution.
It takes time, energy and space to compost correctly. Although the composting process will occur naturally over several months or years, with human help the entire process can be completed in as little as 4-6 weeks. Four essential ingredients are needed: oxygen, moisture, and a proper Carbon:Nitrogen ratio.
Compost loses volume over time
The shrinkage does continue but slows down considerably as the compost becomes more stable. However, it will still slowly decrease in bulk over time. If you leave it too long, you are feeding microorganisms in the compost, rather than in the soil.
While adding compost to your soil can increase soil organic matter and improve soil health and fertility, too much compost can cause problems for the health of your plants and the environment.
Composting Don'ts
Don't add fish, meat, dairy products, bones, baked goods, fatty foods or grease to your compost pile. These food scraps do not easily decompose and may attract animals. Don't use diseased plants or plants that are toxic to other plants.
Shred everything
Smaller materials break down faster than larger ones, and making sure everything is shredded is also a great way to create pockets of air within the pile to help aerate and speed up the composting process.