Large or bulky material can be chopped with a machete. If it is much higher than this, the decomposition will be very slow, and nitrogen should be added in some form. In general, materials that are not green, such as sawdust, straw, and dried leaves will need a nitrogen addition. Good sources of nitrogen are manure, fertilizer, meat scraps, and bone meal. Foul odors are a sign that there is too much water and anaerobic conditions exist.
Ants swarming the pile are a symptom of too little water.
Turning the pile greatly decreases the decomposition time. To maintain a thermophilic pile it should be turned every three to four days, or when the temperature drops below 104 degrees Fahrenheit. However, if you are satisfied with a mesophilic pile, it can be turned as infrequently as every six weeks. This publication is issued by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality authorized by Mark S. Coleman, Executive Director. Copies have been deposited with the publications clearinghouse of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries.