Turning Compost - Moisture Content - Free Air Space

• Turning compost on uneven ground requires constant adjustment of the turner pitch and height to ensure the bottom few inches are incorporated.
• Wet material is difficult to turn especially when cold. You may need to only turn the upper portion of the pile to get it heating before coming back a week later and turning the entire height of the pile.
• Moisture Content - The general way to test if it’s too wet is to squeeze a handful. No more than a drop or so should come out even when squeezing hard. On the flip side testing for dryness, even course wood chips (assuming it has been mixed with other materials) should clump together enough to more-or-less remain in a ball.
• Moisture Content - "bulk density" relates to "free air space" which is important so the pile can breath. Bulk density should be between 550-950 lbs/cu.yd.– 20-35 lbs/cu.ft. Since a 5-gallon bucket is 0.67 cu.ft., a 5-gallon bucket should weigh between 14-24 pounds. To do this, fill the bucket half way and tamp it down by hand, 2/3rds and tamp, full and tamp, and then topping it off. Finish by weighing the bucket.
Another way to measure "free air space" is by filling a 5-gallon bucket as described. Next, fill the bucket filled with material with water. The water will fill up all the air spaces. Next, subtract the weight of the bucket with material only from the bucket with material and water. Next, divide the water weight by 62.43 to get the volume of air in the bucket (62.43 lbs. water = 1cu.ft.). Finish by dividing the volume of air in cu.ft. by 0.67 to get the percent of the bucket that is “free air space”. The percent of free air space should be between 35-60%.