Should You Water Compost?
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Do you have compost and want to know if you need to water it? Are you afraid of over-watering or under-watering it and harming its decomposition?
We are passionate about the subject and will guide you step by step!
Successful composting requires proper watering. The goal is to regulate the moisture content of your pile to allow for proper decomposition of organic matter. Water your compost until it is composed of 40 to 60 percent water.
Our article will explain to you:
- The role of water in your compost
- Organic materials naturally rich in water
- How and how much to water your pile
Let’s discover together this wonderful way to recycle our organic waste.
What is the water used for in your compost?
Compost is the most beneficial, natural, and complete amendment you can add to your garden. It helps retain water, lightens the soil, and acts as a constant source of nutrition thanks to its dynamic and rich composition.
Water is an essential element in your compost pile. It allows for decomposition and regulates the pile's temperature. All life needs water, including microorganisms and insects that help your pile decompose. Water allows organisms to thrive and turn your waste into usable compost. Too much or too little water can affect the quality of your compost , causing it to decompose too quickly or too slowly.
How much water should compost contain?
A compost pile should contain between 40 and 60% water.
A) Organic matter that is too dry:
When your pile becomes too dry, it won't decompose as quickly as a wet pile. It will become unevenly warm, and some sections will decompose at different rates.
If there isn't enough water, the decomposition process can create enough heat to cause dry piles to spontaneously ignite. This risk is low, but serious enough to be considered.
B) The impact of excess water on microorganisms
The organisms that break down organic matter don't work as efficiently when your compost pile is too wet. These organisms need a well-balanced compost, a mixture of air and water. It must allow for air spaces to appear between the different layers of organic matter .
A soggy pile prevents these empty spaces from forming. Waterlogged, the pile becomes too dense to support aerobic bacteria and other organisms. Anaerobic bacteria, which don't need oxygen to proliferate, quickly take over soggy compost. Unpleasant odors can then appear. Your fermenting mixture then becomes excessively acidic.
To neutralize the acidity, add handfuls of wood ash and other brown materials to the pile to jump-start the composting process.
Organic materials naturally rich in water:
Some organic waste naturally has a high water content. These are called green materials . These include nitrogen- rich materials such as fruit and vegetable peelings, plant residues, grass clippings, and eggshells.
Be careful to maintain a good balance with dry materials, called brown materials , rich in carbon (leaves, wood chips, coffee filters, etc.).
How to control the water content of compost?
Checking the water content of your compost isn't complicated. Simply put on gardening gloves, scoop a handful into your hand, and squeeze. Well-balanced compost shouldn't leak water.
You should be able to feel the water, but it shouldn't feel like a soaked sponge. If you can't feel anything at all, your pile is too dry. Compost that's moist enough, but not too moist, would feel like a wrung-out sponge.
How to reduce the amount of water in your compost?
If your compost is too watery and you need to dry it out a little, the first thing to do is open the container lid. Of course, do this only if the weather is favorable. A downpour would make your compost even wetter.
In some situations, opening the lid isn't enough. You can then remove some of the compost and spread it on the ground. Spreading it in a thin layer allows it to be well aerated, so you can then return it to the bin.
If you can't afford to spread organic matter on the ground, add dry matter . Newspaper, wood chips, straw, and dried leaves are all great options!
Even if your compost isn't excessively wet, we recommend stirring it regularly. This helps distribute moisture, which can tend to collect at the bottom of the bin. Grab your best pitchfork (or even a shovel) to turn over the different decomposing layers.
Should compost be protected from rain?
If you live in a rainy area, cover your bin with a tarp or lid. Rain tends to wash away the compost and remove essential nutrients and microorganisms . This brings us back to the problem of excess water: it slows down decomposition.
How to water your compost?
When the sun shines, it dries out the compost piles. However, this dehydration doesn't occur evenly. Remember to water the top layers thoroughly and then mix everything together. Ideally, use rainwater. This avoids residue from chlorine, softening salt, and any other chemicals.
Don't panic, collecting rainwater is much simpler than it seems. Simply place an empty bucket of water or a watering can at the outlet of your gutter system. If you don't have rainwater, tap water will of course do the trick! ;)
To water your compost, the watering can is the ideal gardening tool. Their watering nozzle disperses water in fine drops. Unlike a garden hose, the watering can allows for precise and controlled dosing. This makes it difficult to accidentally flood your compost.
You can water the top layer first. Let the water soak in for about fifteen minutes, then mix your pile.
As we saw above, some mixes can be naturally very moist. The more "green matter" your compost contains, such as grass and fruit, the less it will need to be irrigated.
Allow excess water to drain naturally:
Fruit releases a lot of water as it decomposes. This water forms a juice called leachate , which drains away and collects at the bottom of the bin.
Make sure your bin has drainage holes to allow this juice to escape. If it doesn't, you can simply drill them yourself using a DIY drill.
Grab your watering can and take action!
As you've probably guessed, watering your compost is one of the most important tasks you can do. Discover now the different plastic watering cans you could use for this rather fun task ;)
