Making Compost by Tawanda Moyo pt 2

Tawanda Moyo

Reasons of temperature and its management:
Temperature is the key factor which will allow you to produce good quality compost. The heat is responsible for killing all seeds and pathogens and it helps avoid the re-infecting of the next crop with the same disease. One needs to know when to turn.

When to turn compost?

1. At 60 or 70 degrees centigrade
2. Once every 7 -8 days

3. Remaining in desired temperature zone for at least 3 days

How to turn?
4. Expose new material to the required heat.

5. Move the material that is inside outside and visa versa

6. Allow moisture to be replaced

Why do we turn the compost?

1. Stop the pile from heating.

2. Get a re-supply of oxygen

3. Allow moisture to be added

4. Outside material moved to the centre

Tawanda making compost

Compost making


What would happen if we did not turn the compost?
1. Our compost would overheat and kill the bacteria
2. Our compost would run out of oxygen and go anaerobic.
3. The compost may run out of moisture and cool down too soon.