However, most agricultural wastes contain sufficient microbial populations to initiate composting. Perhaps the best way to inoculate a pile is to mix some compost from the previous batch into feedstock of the new batch. This is especially effective if the feedstocks are similar in the different batches. What you should expect Once a windrow is constructed, the microbial activity will generate carbon dioxide, water vapor, and heat. N ratio will fall as the readily compostable carbon is metabolized by microorganisms, and the nitrogen is converted to nitrate and organic forms.
Pile temperature is a good indicator of the compost process.
The high temperature may be maintained for several days, until the microorganisms begin to deplete their food source or until moisture conditions become less than optimal. If moisture content in the mixture is too high, insufficient aeration will limit activity of high-temperature aerobic microorganisms. If the moisture content is too low, it will limit microbial activity. Once the optimum moisture level is restored and the feedstocks have been remixed, temperature will increase again. The temperature will continue to drop to ambient.