Factors Affecting The Composting Process
All organic material will eventually decompose. The speed at which it decomposes depends on these factors:
- Carbon and Nitrogen
- amount of surface area exposed
- aeration, or oxygen in the pile
- moisture
- temperature
Carbon and Nitrogen
The bacteria and fungi in compost digest or "oxidize" carbon as an energy source and ingest nitrogen for protein synthesis. Carbon can be considered the "food" and nitrogen the digestive enzymes. The bulk of the organic matter should be carbon with just enough nitrogen to aid the decomposition process. The ratio should be roughly 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen (30:1) by weight. Adding 3-4 kgs of nitrogen (green) material for every 100 kgs of carbon (brown) material should be satisfactory for efficient and rapid composting. The composting process slows if there is not enough nitrogen, and too much nitrogen may cause the generation of ammonia gas which can create unpleasant odors. Leaves are a good source of carbon while fresh grass, manures and blood meal are sources of nitrogen.
