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See the shaded panel to the right for more information on using the compost
thermometer and the chart on page 11 for the average heating and cooling
process during a 14-day cycle.
ADJUSTMENTS
Both moisture and the nitrogen content of your materials will greatly affect
the heating of your load. If your compost is slow to heat or the temperature is
not significantly higher than your outside temperature the day after loading
(above 120ºF (49ºC) in the summer) and the materials are moist, you should
add an activator, blood meal or farm manure as a booster. If you determine
that the materials are too dry during the moisture test, you might want to wait
one more day before adding a booster. The addition of water might be all that
you will need to raise the temperature.
3. Once each day check the moisture of your compost by taking a handful
and squeezing it. It should stick together but break apart easily and feel like
a wrung-out sponge. Liquid should not squeeze out. Be sure that the hand-
ful you took is representative of all the materials – sometimes portions will
be dry while others are moist. You must make sure that all the materials are
evenly moist. The aeration/drainage units in the door of the drum allow excess
moisture to drip out. Do not be concerned; in fact, you can collect the drips,
dilute them with water 10:1, and use as a liquid fertilizer. This is “compost
tea.”
ADJUSTMENTS
If your materials are drier than they should be, add some water. Be gentle
when you add water to the materials; it is possible to drown the microorgan-
isms. Lightly spray, and if some areas are drier than others, try to spray only
those general areas. Add water during the tumbling process–lightly spray the
materials, attach the door and tumble one revolution. Repeat this process until
you attain the correct moisture.
If your materials are too wet, add some dry absorbent carbon material like
sawdust, wood shavings or shredded dry leaves. Add small portions until the
moisture seems correct. It takes about 24 hours for the new materials to actu ally
absorb the moisture.
4. For the first seven days smell your composting materials. It is not
uncom mon to smell a light odor of ammonia, especially in the first week
of composting. During the second week your compost should begin to
smell “earthy.” There should never be any foul or rotten odors from your
ComposTumbler.
ADJUSTMENTS
If the smell of ammonia is very strong, add a small amount of shredded dead
material. Foul odors indicate that the process has become anaerobic (not
enough oxygen is getting to the materials), usually because it is too wet. Add
some wood chips to help aerate the materials during the tumbling; add a fairly
large amount of absorbent carbon material until the moisture is correct.
continued on next page
HOW TO TAKE THE
TEMPERATURE
1) Turn the drum so that the door
is facing you. Remove/open the
door.
2) Insert the thermometer into the
compost. Your first reading
should be at the center of the
load, for that is where the “inner
core,” or heat core, is generally
located. However, since you had
to turn the drum to get the door
up, this inner core may not be in
the center any longer.
3) Watch the dial to see if it starts
to move up–it will do this very
quickly if you are near or at
the heat core. If it does, simply
wait until it stops moving; if it
doesn’t, move the thermometer
to another location and check the
temperature there.
4) Take the temperature in several
different locations, looking for
the “hottest spot.” The highest
temperature you find is the one
you should actually use in your
records.
5) Remove the thermometer before
tumbling and wipe it clean.
Store your thermometer in a
convenient location where it will
not be damaged by accident or
weather.