Moisture Relationships in Composting Processes

Wet vs. Dry Organics

• Nitrogen-based organic materials include fresh-cut grasses and plants, fresh manure, and kitchen debris. These often are quite moist, and need to be balanced by dryer carbon material, such as fallen leaves, straw, and hay.
  
  

Proper Balance

• A compost pile with a correct moisture content will feel like a damp sponge when hand-squeezed. If it is too dry it will take longer to compost, and too much water will cause it to produce offensive odors. A pile can tolerate a fairly wide range to either side, though, before there are any problems.
  
  

Correcting Too Much Moisture

• Compost will eventually correct a too moist situation by itself as it dries out. It can also be corrected by turning the pile over several times in a few days, or by adding more carbon material.
  
  

Adding Moisture

• As a compost pile naturally dries, additional moisture should be added to keep it composting. If the moisture comes from organic debris, it is important to mix it through the compost to avoid a single area that is too moist, while other areas have little moisture.