The process of breaking down materials happens in three stages. During each of these, you can help speed up the process.

When the materials are first heaped together in a compost bin or pile, they begin the mesophilic stage. During this time the temperature of the core will begin to rise and microorganisms will start to form colonies and multiply within the pile. To help encourage this process, make sure that everything you added to the pile is broken down into small chunks. The more surfae area available to the bacteria, the faster they will break it down.

The mesophilic stage lasts for less than a week ,and during this time you should see your compost "sag," or settle. When this happens you are just about to start the next chapter of the composting saga.

The second stage is the thermophilic phase, where things really heat up. This stage sees your compost getting up to that 140-degree temperature mark. When organic materials reach that level of temperature, seeds from weeds are killed, harmful bacteria die off, and the pile starts to break down rapidly. The thermophilic phase can be assisted by making sure that your compost pile is damp (some suggest it should be as wet as a wrung-out sponge) and that there is sufficient air reaching the core of the pile.

Turning the pile once or twice during this stage will help get oxygen to the center, and turning the garden hose on the pile will supply enough water to keep the heat in. This stage can last up to three months depending upon how much attention you pay to the heap, what you are trying to compost, and what sort of bin or pile you are using.

The final stage of composting is known as the cooling stage (not nearly as scientific sounding) and this is where the final humus matures and the pile settles into a uniform mix. This can take up to 4 months, but you know your compost is ready to use when it is a rich brown color, earthy smelling, free of large pieces of debris, and has a crumbly consistency. Turning occasionally is important, and during this final stage you may want to begin a second compost location and refrain from adding to the near complete one.