How We Compost Manure

Sharing a refresher on how to compost. This time of year I’m heaping and tarping compost piles for spring planting. To successfully compost, 2/3 brown (carbon) or dry ingredients are required, with 1/3 green (nitrogen) or wet ingredients. A few notes:

1. I personally do not add additional moisture to my heaps since I live in a wet climate (central NJ).
2. I tarp my piles to activate hot composting. This breaks down the pile in as little as 4 months depending on the size and ingredients. Cold composting without a tarp can take 1 year or more.

3. When the right ratios are in place, compost should not smell.

4. Compost is great for adding organic matter to the soil. But it takes a while for solids to break down and become a liquid—the form plants require to absorb nutrients. Compost tea is a great way to feed plants immediately with the benefits of compost.