Composting Log (Pile Temp + Turn Schedule)
A composting log — pile / bin metadata, C:N ratio inputs (browns + greens), water added, pile temperature curve, turn dates, observations, finished date.
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COMPOSTING LOG Composter: Morgan Lee — backyard 3-bin system, Springfield IL Pile/bin: Bin 2 — June 2026 pile Method: hot thermophilic Start: June 8, 2026 Size: 4 ft × 4 ft × 4 ft (~64 cubic ft, ~3 cu yd loosely) INPUTS • Green | Lawn clippings | 4 bags (~30 gal) • Green | Coffee grounds | 5 gal (cafe pickup) • Green | Kitchen scraps | 10 gal (week 1) • Green | Garden trimmings | 8 gal • Brown | Shredded leaves (fall stockpile) | 30 gal • Brown | Shredded paper / cardboard | 10 gal • Brown | Straw (clean) | 1 bale (~30 gal) • C:N ratio estimated ~30:1 (target 25-35:1) TEMPERATURE LOG Date | Temp °F | Turned? ------------------------------------------------------------ 2026-06-08 | 95°F | initial assembly + water 2026-06-10 | 138°F | rising — thermophilic active 2026-06-12 | 152°F | peak — checked at center w/ 36" probe 2026-06-13 | 148°F | turned (sides to center) 2026-06-15 | 155°F | second peak post-turn — fast thermophilic 2026-06-17 | 140°F | cooling — turned again 2026-06-20 | 132°F | turn 3 — moisture topped up 2026-06-24 | 118°F | mesophilic phase starting 2026-06-29 | 102°F | cooling, mostly broken down 2026-07-06 | 88°F | curing phase, structure changing 2026-07-20 | 75°F | finishing — dark, crumbly, earthy smell WATER MANAGEMENT Initial assembly soaked to "wrung sponge" feel; topped up at turn 2 + 3; covered with breathable tarp during heavy rain to prevent saturation OBSERVATIONS Strong earthy smell throughout — no ammonia (no excess green), no rot (no anaerobic patches). White actinomycete bloom visible at first turn (good sign). One pocket of un-shredded leaves persisted — chop finer next time. No pest activity (rats / dogs / raccoons) — meat + dairy excluded. ESTIMATED FINISH + USE Finished + cured ~2026-08-20 (~10 weeks); planned use: fall bed amendments + top-dress perennials. Expect ~50% volume yield (~1.5 cu yd). C:N RATIO TARGET (hot composting) • Target 25:1 to 35:1 (carbon:nitrogen) • Browns (high C): dry leaves, straw, shredded paper / cardboard, sawdust (untreated) • Greens (high N): grass clippings, kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, manure • Approximate volumes: 2-3 parts brown to 1 part green (loose volume) THERMOPHILIC PHASES • Mesophilic (50-100°F): days 0-3, mesophilic bacteria warming • Thermophilic (100-160°F): days 3-21, thermophilic bacteria, weed-seed + pathogen kill • Cooling (80-100°F): days 21-60, mesophilic + actinomycete + fungi return • Curing (60-80°F): days 60-150, stabilization, humic + fulvic acid development EXCLUDE FROM PILE • Meat, dairy, fats, oils (pest + odor) • Diseased plant material (esp. tomato blight) • Weeds with mature seed (unless pile reliably reaches 150°F) • Pet feces (dog / cat — pathogen risk) • Treated lumber sawdust, painted wood, glossy paper
About this template
**Hot composting works through a microbial relay**: mesophilic bacteria warm the pile in the first 1-3 days; thermophilic bacteria take over and drive the temperature to 130-160°F for 1-3 weeks (the **pasteurizing phase** that kills weed seeds, pathogens, and fly larvae); the pile cools and a wider community of bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi takes over for the **cooling + curing phases** that build humic structure and stable carbon. The log captures the **temperature curve** — that curve is the diagnostic. A pile that never gets above 100°F has the wrong C:N ratio, is too small, is too dry or too wet, or lacks aeration. A pile that spikes to 165°F+ is over-greens / too nitrogen-rich and is losing nitrogen to ammonia (smell); turn + add brown to dilute. **C:N ratio** is the recipe. **Target 25:1 to 35:1 carbon:nitrogen** by dry weight. **Browns** (dry leaves, straw, shredded paper / cardboard, untreated sawdust) carry the carbon at 50-500:1; **greens** (grass clippings, kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, manure) carry nitrogen at 10-25:1. Loose-volume rule of thumb: **2-3 parts brown to 1 part green**. **Pile size** matters — under 27 cubic feet (3×3×3 ft) the pile cannot retain enough heat to go thermophilic; 1-3 cubic yards is the home-scale sweet spot. **Moisture** target: **"wrung-out sponge"** — wet enough to squeeze a drop, not enough to drip. **Aeration** via turning every 5-10 days during active phase rebuilds the oxygen supply that thermophilic bacteria deplete; **static aerated** piles substitute a perforated PVC base for hand turning. **Excluded** from the pile: meat, dairy, fats, oils (pest + odor); diseased plant material; weeds with mature seed (unless pile reliably hits 150°F+); pet feces (pathogen risk — dogs/cats specifically, NOT chicken or rabbit manure which is fine); treated lumber, painted wood, glossy paper. **Finished compost** is dark brown, crumbly, smells of forest floor, has lost all original structure, and is approximately half the original volume. **Curing** the finished pile 4-8 more weeks lets nitrogen stabilize and avoids "burning" young transplants. **Use** the cured compost as soil amendment (1-2" worked into beds), top-dress (1-3" around perennials), or compost-tea base. **Vermicomposting** (worm bin) is a different track — Eisenia fetida (red wigglers) at 55-77°F producing castings; lower volume, higher quality humus, never thermophilic.
When to use it
- Backyard hot-composting cycle log.
- Market-garden / small-farm compost production tracking.
- Educational demonstration (school garden, master-gardener).
- Vermicomposting bin maintenance log (separate bin variant).
- Static-aerated pile temperature monitoring.
What to include
- Composter + pile ID + method.
- Start date + pile size.
- Inputs: greens + browns + estimated C:N.
- Temperature log with turn dates.
- Water management.
- Observations (smell, color, fungi, pests).
- Estimated finish + use.