Worm Man's Worm Farm

Compost naturally heats up when it is piled high with food scaps, livestock poop, peat moss and straw. It can get so hot that it steams in the dead of winter.

What causes that heat in the first place?  We investigated and have some answers for you.

The heat generated by compost is actually caused by the microbial breakdown of organic material.  The amount of heat generated and the time it takes to get past the heating stage varies based upon a number of things:

1.  How large the pile is.

2. Outside temperatures

3.  What the carbon to nitrogen ratio is. This is not as complicated as it sounds.  Carbon is the brown stuff used in a worm bin and nitrogen is the green stuff like grass clipping used in your pile.

The perfect ratio of carbon to nitrogen should be approximately 27-1, meaning 27 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen.   I’ve listed some common compost pile ingredients and their carbon to nitrogen ratios.

The best thing to do is balance as best you can to attain that 27 to 1 ratio.

High C:N ratios can be decreased by adding grass clippings or manures. Low C:N ratios may be increased by adding paper, straw or peat moss.