Making & Using Compost
Part 1 – 322 | Unit 1.7
What factors can influence the C:N ratio of a material?
What may happen if too much water is added to a compost pile? What may happen if the materials
are too dry?
Why is aeration important in a compost pile?
What are some advantages and disadvantages to turning a compost pile? When and how often
should compost piles be turned? (Please explain.)
Describe five qualitative indicators of compost maturity. What are some quantitative ways of
assessing compost maturity and stability?
Imagine that you have an unlimited amount of each of the following materials for composting:
Straw, chicken manure, horse manure, food scraps, greenish-brownish crop residues and weeds, and
sawdust. How would you make a pile using these materials? Draw a diagram of the pile you would
create. Discuss your layering, including thickness of each layer, order, water added or not. Add a short
description of your suggested management plan (turning, monitoring).
Assessment Questions