Hot compost contains fully decomposed organic materials that are loaded with macro and micronutrients. This fully decomposed material is extremely good for soil because it can improve soil health, retain water, has higher cation exchange capacity, and can retain more nutrients. One can make this compost by using only the kitchen wastes and half-decomposed cow dung.

Make Hot Compost at Home

Hot composting is a method in which the activity of microbes is maximized. In this post, you will know the stages, mechanisms, and the ways to make hot compost at home. Before discussing the stages and mechanisms, first, we will show you how to make hot compost at home.

Things that you will need –

• Kitchen wastes
• Oil cake
• Rice husk/tiny wood chips
• Half-decomposed manure (recent manure can contain pathogens)
• Water
• Shovel
• Masks
• Gloves

Step – 1: Prepare the materials

In the beginning, prepare all the things for the next level. In this stage, you should grind the oil cake.

Why should we grind the oil cake?

Not only oil cake, it is better to grind all the things that are needed to incorporate in the compost pile because grinding will increase the surface area of everything that will accelerate the decomposition rate. The process will be faster if you can grind or powder all the wastes. So, in the beginning, we should prepare and grind the wastes and oil cake.

Step – 2: Mixing the materials

In this stage, we will mix all the materials – kitchen wastes, oil cake, rice husk, wood chips, and half-decomposed cowdung. You need to mix all these things together and continue adding water in a small amount.

When should you stop adding more water?

To understand this, take the mixture and try to make a ball. If it is not feasible to make a ball, add more water, and if a ball forms, release it from 1 meter above the ground. If the ball breaks into tiny particles, that’s the right point.

Step – 3: Making compost pile

Let us assume that you have applied the water perfectly. Now it is time to make the compost pile.

Why should you make the pile shape? Making a pile shape will increase the decomposition rates, trap the generated heat and enhance microbial activity.

So, make a pile shape and cover it with polythene to trap the temperature more efficiently.

Step – 4: Maintaining the compost

After 2 to 3 days, uncover the pile, and you will face that terrible smell of decomposition. This is why you need a mask and gloves. After uncovering the pile, break the pile and mix it again. In this way, we are supplying and circulating air into the compost. After mixing the pile again, leave it for an hour, and then pile it up. Repeat this process after 2 to 3 days again.

Why should we uncover and mix the pile again?

To make hot compost at home, you will need to know the mechanism that happens inside the compost pile. At the first stage, when you make the pile and leave it, microbes will start decomposing. This decomposition will generate heat, which may reach 60-degree Celsius. Besides, the microbes use the oxygen inside the pile, and the produced heat that enhances the microbial activity, so oxygen will be used up very quickly. To circulate air and oxygen, we uncover the pile and supply oxygen in it. If we don’t uncover and mix the pile, lack of oxygen and heat will reduce the microbial activity.