Compost Critters
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| Psychrophiles -are bacteria that flourish at low
temperatures. These bacteria prefer temperatures of approximately 55°F and will slowly
decompose your compost even at temperatures of 0°F. |
| Mesophiles
- are bacteria that thrive at temperatures in the 70-90°F range, and survive temperatures
of 40°F to 110°F. These aerobic bacteria do most of the work of decomposition. The work of decomposition raises the temperature inside the
pile. When it's too hot for the mesophiles, the thermophiles take over. |
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| Thermophiles
- are bacteria that work in the high temperature range from 104°F to 200°F, but prefer
temperatures between 105° and 140°F. The high rate of decomposition will turn the
mixture of organic materials in your pile to a uniform deep brown color. |
| Thermophilic activity
quickly raises the temperature in the pile to levels that kill most weed seed. In the home
composting arena, we look for 3-5 days with pile temperatures of 131°F or higher to
manage weed seeds. By turning the pile, you can introduce fresh oxygen to support the
aerobic activity and expose all organic material to the high seed-killing temperature.
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