Composting Methods: How to Do It and Compare Options

Preparation effort

– Arrange compost in layers, do not compact.
– Water and mix additives (lime, superphosphate).
– Cover the outside with mud.

– Arrange compost in layers and compact.
– Sprinkle phosphate fertilizer on each layer.
– Cover the outside with mud.

– Arrange layered, not compacted for 5-6 days.
– Then compact and continue to stack new layers.
– Plaster the outside with mud.

Incubation time

30-40 days.

5-6 months.

2-3 months.

Temperature

50-70°C (high temperature).

Low temperature, anaerobic environment.

Early stage: 50-60°C (hot).
Later stage: anaerobic (cold).

Maintenance effort Maintenance

– Need to water and mix regularly.
– Check temperature and humidity continuously.

– Little maintenance, mainly to keep humidity and no need to mix.

– Need to mix and check temperature in the early stages.
– Less maintenance later.

Technical requirements

– Need to control temperature and humidity closely.
– Must mix regularly to ensure uniform decomposition.

– Less technical requirements.
– Mainly to compact and maintain moderate humidity.

– Need higher technique because it must combine both hot and cold composting.
– Must monitor temperature and mix during the first stage.

Advantages

– Destroys weed seeds and pathogens.
– Short composting time.
– Decomposes quickly.

– Retains a lot of nitrogen.
– Better quality fertilizer.
– Less maintenance required.

– Combines the advantages of both hot composting and cold composting.
– Shortens composting time compared to cold composting.
– Retains more nitrogen than hot composting.

Disadvantages

– Loses a lot of nitrogen due to evaporation.
– Needs strict control of humidity and temperature.
– Requires a lot of maintenance effort.

– Long composting time.
– Does not completely destroy full of pathogens.
– Slow decomposition.

– Requires more effort and technique than cold composting.
– Longer composting time than hot composting.

Compost quality

– Composts quickly but loses a lot of nitrogen.
– Suitable when compost is needed urgently.

– High quality compost, retains a lot of nitrogen.
– Suitable when compost is not needed urgently.

– Good quality compost, balances time and nutrients.
– Suitable when high quality compost is needed in a shorter time than cold composting.

Role of organic carbon

– Adding organic carbon (straw, dry leaves) helps balance the C/N ratio (25-30:1).
– Reduce nitrogen loss, increase decomposition rate.

– Organic carbon helps retain moisture and create porosity for the compost pile.
– Supports slow decomposition, retains more nitrogen.

– Organic carbon helps balance the C/N ratio in the hot composting stage.
– Retains moisture and creates porosity in the cold composting stage.

Suitable

– When you need quick compost.
– Areas with warm climates.

– When you don’t need compost urgently.
– Areas with cold climates.

– When you need high-quality compost in a shorter time than cold composting.
– When you have enough effort and technique to do it present.