Composting is a natural process where organic waste, like food scraps and dry leaves, break down into rich soil. This process helps us to reduce waste with improving the health of our gardens. However, composting can take some time nearly (3-6 months) but sometimes months or even a year. What if you could speed up the composting process and get results faster? In this blog, I will show you simple steps to make compost quickly and easily.

Unlock the Secret of speed up the composting process: What Gardeners Won’t Tell You

How To Speed Up The Composting Process: Make It Easy

What is Composting?

Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It takes organic waste such as fruit peels, vegetable scraps, and dry leaves and turns them into a dark, nutrient-rich material called compost. This compost can be used in gardens to help plants grow better.

However, without the right strategy, composting can take a long time. In this guide, we will teach you how to speed up the composting process, so you can get usable compost in a few months. So you can not wait a long time.

Why it important to Speeding Up Composting process

There are many reasons to want faster compost for you, which I explain below

Quick results for your garden: Faster compost means you can use it quickly in your garden, so your plants get a healthy nutrients. That makes them stronger and healthy.
Reduced waste pile-up: If your compost decompose faster, so then the less storage space you need for storing waste.
Reduced smell: Compost, which breaks down fast, so they doesn’t produce the strong smells. In case of slow decompose process, we sometimes get bad mells like methane, which is very harmful.
More efficient recycling: You can keep recycling organic waste in an eco-friendly way by composting quickly.

How to Speed Up the Composting Process: Step-by-Step

Now let’s get into the details. Here are 11 effective steps to help you speed up the composting process. So, you can get a great result in a shorter time.

Step 1: Chop or cut Your Materials

Composting is heavily depends on the size of the compost materials. If the materials size is smaller then they will quickly decompose. For example, if you have large fruit peels or leaves then cut them into small bits, then you can see the small peace will be decompose quickly and easily. Shredding paper, cardboard, and leaves also makes them break down faster. That gives bacteria and worms get more space to work on.

Step 2: Add a Balance of Greens and Browns

To speed up the composting process, you need a mix of greens (high in nitrogen) and browns (high in carbon). The ratio of this rule is two parts browns for every one part green (2:1). Greens include kitchen scraps like fruit and vegetable peels. Browns include dried leaves, cardboard, and straw. But you have to notice that too much green can cause the pile to smell bad, while too much brown slows the break down process.

Step 3: Keep the Pile Moist but Not Wet

Your compost pile needs to be as damp as a sponge. If it’s too dry, the decomposition process slows down. If it’s too wet, it can start to smell. Add water if the pile looks dry, but if it feels soggy, add more brown materials like dry leaves to absorb the moisture.

Step 4: Turn the Compost Regularly

By turning your compost every week, you let air into the pile. The bacteria need air to break down the materials. If there is not enough air (oxygen), the process gets slow down. By moving the pile with a pitchfork or shovel, you'll help the compost break down faster.

Step 5: Layer the Materials Properly

Arrange the compost materials in layers to make them break down faster. First, put brown materials at the bottom, then add green materials. Keep adding layers alternately as you build your pile. This process helps bacteria to grow easier and and speeds up the composting process.

Step 6: Use Activators

You can add some compost activators, which can make the composting process start faster. These things add more nitrogen, which helps the pile get break down quicker.Some good activators include:

Manure
Grass clippings
Coffee grounds

These materials provide essential nutrients to the bacteria in your compost, making them work faster.

You can also read : Best compost material

Step 7: Keep the Pile Warm

Composting works best when the pile is warm. You can help keep the pile warm by placing it in a sunny spot or covering it with a tarp. If you live in a cold place, using a compost bin with insulation can keep it warm.

Step 8: Chop Up Wood Materials

Wooden sticks, branches, and twigs take a long time to break down. To speed up the composting process, avoid adding large woody materials to your compost. Or, if you use them then break them into very small pieces before add.

Step 9: Add Finished Compost to the Pile

Adding finished compost to your pile can make it decompose faster. Finished compost contains active microbes that will help decompose the new materials faster.

Step 10: Use a Compost Bin

Using a compost bin instead of an open pile can speed up the composting process. Compost bins help retain heat and moisture, both of which are essential for fast decomposition. Tumblers make it simple to turn the compost regularly, which adds oxygen and keeps the process fast.

Step 11: Do not include materials that cause problems

Some materials take too long to break down or can cause issues in the pile. So, you should avoid to add them into your pile. These materials are

Meat, dairy, or oily foods (they can attract pests)
Diseased plants (they can spread disease)
Pet waste (it can create harmful bacteria)

You should only focus on natural plant materials that will make your compost breaks down process very fast.

You can also read : East step to make compost at home

Other Ways to Speed Up Composting

If you’re looking for additional ways to make your compost work faster, here are some tips for you :

Use Worms for Vermicomposting

Worms, mainly red worms, are great for composting. This method, called vermicomposting. With the help of this process you can easily speeds up the breakdown process. So, by using worms, you eat them like vegetables, food craft and they produce rich compost. Worm poop has a lot of nutrients and is great for making compost. It's really helpful for those people, who have a limited space, because they can do it inside in a small bin.

Increase Surface Area

If you have a large surface area,then the composting process speeds up rapidly, because in a large surface area, the material comes with the air easily. To make compost materials break down faster, you should make them smaller. Cut the leaves or cardboard into small pieces before adding them to your compost pile.

Maintain a Hot Composting Pile

Hot composting needs high temperatures. It can break down materials in a few weeks. Make sure your pile is at least 3 feet wide and 3 feet high to keep it hot. A bigger size helps it retain heat, especially in cooler weather.

Use a Compost Accelerator

Compost accelerators contains helpful bacteria or enzymes. You can sprinkle these on top of your compost pile to make it break down faster. You can buy compost accelerators at garden centers, or you can make a natural one by mixing sugar or molasses with water and spraying it on the pile.

Keep the Compost Aerated

You can turn the compost often and use a garden fork to make holes in the pile.This allows air to circulate and helps bacteria grow. Good airflow speeds up composting by giving oxygen to the microorganisms that are breaking down the materials.

Try Bokashi Composting

You can not usually composting meat and dairy products in traditional methods. Bokashi composting is a method that involves fermenting food waste by using a special mix of bacteria. It’s a great option for speeding up the composting process, especially for food scraps that take longer to break down like meat and dairy. After Bokashi process, you can add the pre-compost to your regular compost pile to make it break down even faster.

Cover the Compost Pile

Covering your compost has many benefits. It save the pile from getting too wet in the rain and helps it stay warm, which is important for breaking down faster. You can use a tarp, compost bin lid, or even old cardboard sheets to cover the pile. Just make sure to leave enough space for air to flow through.

Avoid Adding Pesticide-Treated Materials

If you want fast, healthy compost, then you have to avoid to add pesticides or herbicides. These chemicals can kill the beneficial bacteria and microorganisms that help break down the compost. Use natural material like plants and organic waste to help the process go fast.

Use Multiple Compost Piles

If you have enough space, having multiple compost piles can help you manage your composting better. You can work on one pile while the other one finishes. This way, you always have a pile that’s almost ready, and you can keep adding new materials without slowing down the finished pile.

Final Tips for Speeding Up Composting

So now, you have a solid idea of how to speed up the composting process and get nutrient rich compost easily in very small time. Remember, balance is crucial as you go through these steps. Your compost needs the right mix of materials, air, and moisture to break down quickly and efficiently. Here are some final tips to ensure success:

Monitor the temperature: Monitor your compost pile's temperature to ensure it stays warm enough. If it cools down, try turning the pile or adding more green materials to heat it up again.

Be patient: While these steps will definitely speed up the composting process, it’s still a natural process that takes some time. With proper care, you will get compost that you can use much faster than usual.

Start small: If you’re new to composting, start with a small pile or bin and follow the steps mentioned above. Once you understand it, you can do more composting to make it faster

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Is the Fastest Way to Compost?

The quickest way to make compost is by doing hot composting, where you keep the pile hot, turn it regularly, and balance green and brown materials. You can also use a compost tumbler or add things like manure or compost accelerators.

How Long Does It Take to Make Compost?

Compost usually takes 6 months to a year to fully break down. However, if you follow the steps in this guide, you can speed up the composting process and have finished compost in just 4-8 weeks.

Can I Compost Indoors?

Yes, you can compost indoors using vermicomposting (with worms) or a small compost bin. Indoor composting is a great option if you don’t have outdoor space or if you live in an apartment.

Should I Add Worms to My Compost?

Adding worms, especially red worms, to your compost can help speed up the process. Worms eat the organic materials and produce rich compost in the form of worm castings. These castings are filled with nutrients that plants love, and they help speed up the overall composting process. If you decide to use worms, make sure to keep the pile moist and avoid adding too many acidic foods like citrus, which can harm the worms.

What Can I Do If My Compost Is Too Wet?

If your compost pile gets too wet, it can make the breakdown process slower and cause bad smells.. To fix this, add more brown materials like dry leaves, straw, or shredded paper. These materials will absorb excess moisture and help balance the pile. Please turn the compost more often so that air can dry it out.

Can I Compost Weeds?

You can put weeds in the compost, but be careful. Weeds with seeds or roots that spread too much might not die in the compost and could grow in your garden later. If you do compost weeds, make sure the pile gets hot enough (over 140°F) to kill the seeds and roots. Alternatively, compost weeds that have not gone to seed.

Conclusion: Fast and Easy Composting for Everyone

Composting is one of the best ways to recycle organic waste and give your plant's healthy nutrients day by day. By follow the mentioned above process, you can definitely speed up the composting process and enjoy finished compost in just a few weeks.

Chop your materials, turn the pile regularly, use compost activators, and add worms to speed up your composting process. Remember to maintain a good balance of green and brown materials, keep the pile moist but not wet, and turn it often to add air. These are the secrets tips to speed up your composting process, that's why you can get a better garden in front of your house.

Begin now, and you will quickly discover how simple to create your own compost at home. Then your mind will be satisfied!

How To Speed Up The Composting Process: Make It Easy