37 Tips for Keeping Food Fresh Longer. The average household tosses out 14% of the food they buy, according to Money magazine. For the typical family, thatâs over $1,300 a year! I donât know about you, but Iâd MUCH rather spend that kind of money on a getaway with my familyâ¦not throwing it in the trash!
By graphing compost temperature over time, you can tell how far along the decomposition has progressed. A well constructed compost system will heat up to 40 or 50C within two to three days. As readily decomposable organic matter becomes depleted, the temperature begins to drop and the process slows considerably.
The amount of time needed to produce compost depends on several factors, including the size of the compost pile, the types of materials, the surface area of the materials, and the number of times the pile is turned. For most efficient composting, use a pile that is between 3 feet cubed and 5 feet cubed (27-125 cu. ft.).This allows the center of the pile to heat up sufficiently to break down materials. Smaller piles can be made but will take longer to produce finished compost.Larger piles can be made by increasing the length of the pile but limiting the height and the depth to 5 feet tall by 5 feet deep; however, large piles are limited by a personâs ability to turn the materials.f the pile has more brown organic materials, it may take longer to compost. You can speed up the process by adding more green materials or a fertilizer with nitrogen (use one cup per 25 square feet).