How long does compost take?
There are lots of questions about composting that we’ll get to eventually, but the one I hear about more than any other is how long does compost take.
You want to know when you’re going to stop bagging up your kitchen scraps and feel vaguely smug about dumping them onto your garden borders instead. The truthful answer is that it depends on what you want to do and what you’re actually prepared to do.
I’ve created compost in as little as six weeks. I’ve created compost that sat around for 11 months and looked like mouldy vegetable scraps.
There’s no magic science behind those two examples. There was just a difference in method, attention paid and the willingness to do more work in order to get faster results.
Your window for compost creation can be anywhere from two weeks to two years.
At the fastest speed, you can hot compost if you’re prepared to monitor temperatures, turn frequently, and get your ratios right. Methods like the Berkeley Method (Deep Green Permaculture) can create finished compost in as little as 18 days.
At the slowest speed, if all you do is dump your organic matter in a heap and ignore it then you’re probably looking at between 18 months and two years to create anything useful.
For home composting, particularly if you’re new to composting and paying attention to what you’re doing, you can create usable compost in as little as three months (The Spruce). Of course, that’s creating a good balance, chopping up your veg waste, and regularly turning the compost. It’s not just chucking potato peelings on top of a heap and walking away from it.
So the real question isn’t how long does compost take? It’s how long are you prepared to wait and how much effort do you want to put into it? Because those factors alone will pretty much dictate everything else about your compost timeline.
Let’s take a look at hot composting for speed and containers versus traditional piles.
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How Long Does It Take To Compost? Speed Composting Explained
Time it takes to create compost:
Fastest:
Hot composting methods can create compost in as little as 18 days (Deep Green Permaculture)
Hot composting methods average 4-6 weeks when followed closely (Allotment Book)
Container systems like tumblers take 6-8 weeks on average (Better Homes and Gardens)
Worm systems take about 6-8 weeks to make a reasonable amount of compost once you’ve got the system going (Compost Magazine).
Slowest:
Dump and go methods (throwing your scraps in a pile and walking away) can take up to two years.
Shown is averages and exceptions for quick composting once you know what you’re doing. Beginner composting methods tend to fall somewhere around three months if you do regular turning and pay attention to getting your carbon to nitrogen ratios close to correct.
Obviously there’s exceptions. Individuals who have experimented and discovered their own preferred methods that fall outside of these averages.
Understanding The Variables
There are a handful of things that determine how quickly you’ll create compost:
-Temperature
-Oxygen
-Carbon to Nitrogen ratios
-Moisture content
-Size of composting pile
If you want your compost done faster, you need to create the ideal conditions for microorganisms to do their thing. This isn’t witchcraft. There are actual living organisms breaking down your organic matter into compost and they have preferred environments to do their jobs quickly.
Give those bacteria and fungi what they need, and your composting time drastically decreases. Want your compost to take longer? Don’t do any of the following.
Temperature
Hot composting vs Cold composting. There is a big difference in decomposition speed.
Heat equals faster composting.
If your compost materials are thermophilic and heat up to temperatures between 40-60°C then you’ve got pretty much guaranteed compost in 4 to 6 weeks (Allotment Book). Slow composting is usually any composting method that doesn’t get hot enough to kill seeds and weed roots.
The reason hot piles make compost faster is because those internal temperatures create an ideal environment for bacteria to eat away at your greens and browns. When the recipe of greens (nitrogen) and browns (carbon) is correct your pile will generate enough heat to promote rapid bacterial decomposition.
The opposite is true as well. If your pile doesn’t heat up, it’s moving along slowly. Bugs, larvae, and worms are still working away to break down your matter, they’re just not doing it as fast.
Turning Your Pile
Not providing enough oxygen to the center of your composting pile is the easiest way to slow down your compost.
Remember how hot composting is really just rapid bacterial decomposition? Well, those bacteria need oxygen to survive and process your pile. Without oxygen your pile is likely to smell like rotten eggs and become septic.
Aerobic composting decomposition is significantly faster than anaerobic composting. Regular turning introduces oxygen into the center of your pile and keeps decomposition speedy.
If you’re looking for a rule of thumb to follow while the majority of decomposition is taking place, try turning every 1 to 2 weeks (GardenerBible). Skip turning your compost and you might as well switch categories from hot composting to slow composting.
Carbon & Nitrogen Levels
There’s a reason we talked about nitrogen and carbon ratios above.
Without enough nitrogen your pile will never heat up enough to produce usable compost in less than a year. Too much nitrogen and your pile will smell like a sewer and become septic from excess moisture.
Too much carbon and your compost pile may never heat up. Strike a good balance and watch your materials turn into compost quickly.
Moisture Levels
More speed advice: If your pile dries out, decomposition will slow to a near halt while it’s dry.
If your compost gets too wet, you’ve essentially killed off the center of your compost pile by eliminating oxygen and creating anaerobic conditions.
Moist but not dripping wet. That’s what you’re aiming for when judging your compost’s moisture levels.
Size of Pile
Heat cannot build up in compost piles smaller than 3 feet in length, width, and height (Homes and Gardens). Without heat, your decomposition relies mostly on slow moving bugs and insects to do all the work.
Most beginners start with piles that are too small. Your composting timeline almost always suffers because of it.
Hot Composting For Speed
Hot composting is the absolute fastest way to compost your kitchen scraps and garden waste. It’s not difficult, but hot composting does force you into subscribing to a certain method.
Hot composting quickly is not collecting your veggie scraps over the course of a few months and dumping them on top of a heap in the spring.
Hot composting quickly is building and maintaining a small ecosystem that’s constantly working to convert your waste into compost.
I mentioned the Berkeley method above. Let’s talk about hot composting using that method and regular hot composting.
Hot Composting Methods Explained
Berkeley Method:
When followed religiously you can create compost in as little as 18 days (Deep Green Permaculture).
Build your entire compost pile all at once
Turn your compost every two days for the first two weeks.
Monitor temperature throughout the process.
Standard Hot Composting:
Produces usable compost in 4 to 6 weeks when managed properly (Allotment Book)
Similar method to above, you’ll still need to turn regularly and maintain the correct green to brown ratio.
With standard hot composting you’ll have a bit more flexibility in your turning schedule.
Material preparation:
This applies to both the Berkeley method and standard hot composting.
Chop materials into smaller pieces.
Smaller pieces mean more surface area for bacteria and fungi to work with. Larger sticks and chunks of veg waste limit how fast those organisms can break down your pile.
Temperature:
Hot composting piles should heat up to 40-60°C a few days after building your pile.
Use a compost thermometer to ensure your pile heats up properly. If it doesn’t you either have the wrong green to brown ratio or your pile is too small.
If your compost heats up too much and exceeds 65°C, turn it right away to release some of that built up heat.
Turning:
Every 1-2 weeks as a minimum during active decomposition periods (GardenerBible)
Like we discussed above, regular turning will make or break your composting timeline.
More turning equals faster compost but also more work.
Berkeley Method will turn every two days.
Standard hot composting can get away with once a week turning if you build your pile correctly and monitor temperatures.
What To Expect:
Week 1: Heating phase.
Weeks 2-3: Temperature peaks. Lots of turning.
Weeks 4-6: Temperatures start to cool and your pile should start to look more and more like soil.
By week 6-8 you’ll have finished compost.
Speed up any part of this process at your own risk.
Container & Tumbler Composting Timelines
Contained composting piles have their advantages. They’re tidy, contained, and can be simpler to use than traditional piles.
Containers and tumblers come with trade offs however. Mainly, it takes longer to create compost this way.
Expect a container compost system to take at least double what’s listed above. There are always exceptions depending on size of bin and insulation.
Compost Tumblers
Tumblers take anywhere from 6-8 weeks to create compost (Better Homes and Gardens). Some take longer depending on the actual size of your container and how well it’s insulated.
Advantages: Turning a compost tumbler takes two minutes. That’s it. No fork required. It’s extremely convenient.
Disadvantages: Tumblers won’t heat up as well as traditional piles. As such, they’re slower than what’s outlined above.
This isn’t to say you won’t get usable compost within 6-8 weeks of using a tumbler. You will because your ingredients are still getting turned regularly.
However. If you’re looking for speed when composting you’re probably better off with a traditional pile.
I used a compost tumbler for years. And while they work and create compost in a reasonable amount of time, nothing beats building up a monster pile every spring/summer and watching it cook by midseason.
Dalek Composting Bins
Yes they work. No they’re not fast.
Dalek bins take between 12-18 months to create usable compost if you don’t turn them regularly. With regular turning and proper carbon to nitrogen ratios you can reduce this to 6-9 months.
Expect traditional bins to fall somewhere between tumblers and no-turning methods.
Three Bin Systems
The benefit of worm composting is that everything I mentioned above about speed applies but at a different time frame.
You may only take 6-8 weeks to produce compost using worms. That doesn’t mean you’ll only need 6-8 weeks to have finished compost.
Worm bins take about 2-3 months to establish itself and get going strong. Harvesting will happen every 3-4 months after that.
Seasonal differences also affect how much your worms can process. cold temperatures mean less food waste processing in the winter.
If you start a compost pile in December and expect it to create compost by March you’re setting yourself up for failure. Get a better grasp on how temperature affects your composting timeline.
Common Compost Timeline Mistakes
Mistake #1: Starting your pile too small.
Mistake #2: Becoming inconsistent with turning your compost pile.
Solution: Weekly turning schedules are hard to maintain. Either commit to turning every week or find a composting method that matches your availability.
Mistake #3: Adding your materials as you go.
Solution: Hot composting works best when you layer your ingredients together all at once. Build up your pile over time and you’ll be flirting with slow composting speeds.
Mistake #4: Forgetting that Seasons matter.
When it’s cold outside, your compost piles aren’t going to magically heat up. You still need to observe proper ratios and pay attention to size requirements if you want your pile to heat up.
Starting a compost project in December and expecting great results in February is laughable if you’ve ever tried it.
Either plan your composting methods for the spring/summer seasons or insulate your piles during winter to retain more heat.
Mistake #5: Expecting container systems to create compost as fast as a good hot composting pile.
People complain all the time about their compost tumblers not working. They do work. Just not as fast as something that’s turned regularly and properly managed.
While a tumbler may produce compost in 6-8 weeks, a well managed hot composting pile will produce compost in 4-6 weeks.
Understand the limitations of your system.
Mistake #6: Not monitoring moisture levels.
Too much of a good thing can be bad. Compost piles require water to speed up decomposition. Without water, your pile will dry out and eventually come to a screeching halt.
That doesn’t mean you should water your pile every other day. Check the moisture levels every few days. If it’s too wet add dry material. Too dry? Add some water.
Is There A Composting Timeline?
Science has shown us over and over again that compost piles take anywhere from two weeks to two years to create compost depending on methods used.
When you dive deeper into the numbers, hot composting methods produce compost anywhere from 18 days to 6 weeks when managed properly.
Worm bins and container systems fall into the 6-8 week range across the board for creating finished compost.
Completing composting projects as a beginner can take as little as three months if you remember to turn your compost regularly and pay attention to carbon:nitrogen ratios.
When broken down by individual studies and methods of composting, it’s clear that there really is a composting timeline for everything.
Let’s take a look at a few different composting methods and what you can expect based on experience.
Study 1:
Berkeley Method – Compost in as little as 18 days (Deep Green Permaculture)
Study 2:
Hot composting can create finished compost in 4-6 weeks when temperatures are monitored, and piles are turned regularly (Allotment Book)
Study 3:
Compost tumblers produce finished compost in 6-8 weeks when used properly (Better Homes and Gardens).
Study 4:
Even beginning composters can produce usable compost in three months if they pay attention to ratios and turn regularly (The Spruce)
Study 5:
Worm bins can take kitchen scraps and create reasonable amounts of compost in 6-8 weeks (Compost Magazine).
5 totally separate studies showing you different composting timelines based on your chosen method.
Now do yourself a favour and research whatever composting method you choose before starting your project.
You’ll save yourself months of waiting if you have realistic expectations.
How Long Will It Take Me?
Obviously your lifestyle and life conditions play into what type of composting method you choose. Let’s look at different scenarios and what method would work best.
Small gardens with limited space
When space is a concern tumbler systems are your best bet. While compost tumblers take longer than proper hot composting methods, you’ll still be done in 6-8 weeks.
If you’re serious about space limitations, try two tumblers. Fill one up while the other is composting. Never run out of room and have compost continuously available.
Rentals
Worm composting works great for renters because a. it’s completely contained and b. you get liquid fertilizer to use on top of solid compost.
Just don’t dump your worms out when you move. They can be kept in the same bin and move with you.
Large gardens with tons of seasonal waste
If you produce enough waste to fill up three bins every season, traditional composting methods are for you.
Try three different bins and rotate through them. One being filled, one actively composting, and one being used.
While it’ll still take you 6-12 months to fill up and create compost, you’ll have multiple bins constantly going.
Busy households
The newer black plastic composters are great for people who don’t have time to maintain a traditional bin.
Without turning your containerized composter you’ll get results in 12-18 months. With regular turning, you can push that number down to 6-9 months.
Hot it Up!
You know your schedule and how much time you can realistically commit. If you’re up for maintaining a hot compost pile, go full Berkeley or traditional hot composting.
Multiple studies show that you can create compost in less than two months if you actually pay attention to what you’re doing.
How Fast You Compost, Is Up To You
Knowing your compost timeline has advantages:
You’ll know when to start your compost pile to have soil ready for when you need it.
Don’t plan garden improvements in January and expect to use that compost in June.
If you start your compost project in January you’ll have compost ready for spring planting.
You have realistic expectations.
You wont sit there for 8 months wondering what you’re doing wrong.
Find a method that fits your household waste production.
A compost system that takes 6 months to turn kitchen scraps isn’t going to do you much good if you produce enough waste to fill it up in one month.
Minimize lost time and pick a system that matches your needs.
Reduce the need to buy bagged soil improvers.
Once you’ve got steady compost production going, you’ll rarely have to buy soil amendments again.
Hot Composting Schedule
Want to start building your compost pile but don’t know where to start?
No worries. Let’s go over hot composting for dummies schedule. A simple step by step process that anyone can follow.
Week 1:
Decide what method you want to use.
Figure out your budget and needs. Need a tumbler? Make sure you can actually fit one in your garden.
Don’t want to keep up with turning? Traditional bins are your best bet.
Weeks 2-3:
Get your bins built or your compost tumbler. For hot composting methods, make sure you have enough materials to fill up your pile.
Expect to spend a day collecting browns and greens if you live in the city. ALOT of people compost in suburbs which makes for easy pickup.
Weeks 4-onward:
Maintenance time. Turn, check temperatures, make sure your pile is moist but not soaking.
You’ve built your compost pile. Let nature do the rest.
Final Thoughts
Want faster results?
Work harder.
There is a direct correlation between how fast you want your compost and how much effort you’re willing to put into it.
Want compost in six weeks? Ok…but you’re turning that compost once a week. At minimum.
You can have compost in eighteen months if you throw some grass clippings on top of your fruit and veggie waste. No effort required.
Both are effective methods of composting. Neither one is wrong.
Pick whichever one suits your household best and stay consistent with your method.
Everything else is a bonus.
Resources
Resource1 Berkeley Method – deepgreenpermaculture.com
Resource 2 Hot composting rules – AllotmentBook.co.uk
Resource 3 Using compost tumblers the right way – Better Homes and Gardens
Resource 4 Composting for Beginners (& how long does it take?) – The Spruce
Resource 5 How long does it take to make compost – Compost Magazine
Resource 6 Why isn’t my compost heap heating up? – Homes and Gardens
Resource 7 What factors affect composting? – RHS
