Add Volcanic Rock Dust to Your Compost Pile to Turn Up the Heat

Ground up rock material doesn’t usually appear on lists of compostable materials such as “greens” (e.g., grass clippings, hedge trimmings) and “browns” (e.g., fall leaves, wood chips), but volcanic rock dust is a sure-fire way to charge up the composting process.

In this YouTube video, agronomist Rich Affeldt explains how to add mineral-rich volcanic rock dust to your compost bin:

You’ll see that the addition of nutrient-rich rock dust increases the energy level—or the heat—of your compost pile.  That’s because composting is the result of millions of microorganisms feeding on each other and breaking down the organic matter in the pile. More microbial activity means more heat. More heat means faster composting.

By adding a high quality rock dust like Cascade Minerals to your compost pile, you are adding another source of nutrition for these microbes. You might even say that you are enhancing the behind-the-scenes “bacterial ballet” that is responsible for the composting process.

Application is simple. Just add a thin layer of rock dust to your compost pile, alternating between layers of carbon-rich materials (“browns”) and nitrogen-rich materials (“greens”). Turn and water as needed to help the compost break down more quickly.

Here are a few other composting tips:

1. Use a variety of different materials to ensure that your compost has everything that healthy soil needs. (Too much of any one material can cause an imbalance and slow down the process). For example: add mushrooms for copper, tomatoes for manganese, and apples for boron. Top it off with nitrogen-rich coffee grounds.

2. When adding garden debris to your compost pile, chop or shred materials into pieces 6-inches or smaller. This gives microorganisms more surface area to feed upon and speeds decomposition.

3. Make sure your compost pile gets enough air by turning it frequently, either with a tumbling composter or by rotating material with a pitchfork.

4. Don’t let your compost pile dry out. Add enough water so that the compost pile is as consistently damp as a wrung-out sponge.

6. If you are adding kitchen scraps to your compost pile, use a compost bin that is resistant to rodents to prevent problems.

7. Never add diseased plants, invasive weeds, animal fats or dairy products to your compost pile.

Follow these tips, and you’ll be rewarded with mineral-rich compost to feed the soil…and healthy soil means healthy plants, healthy people, and healthy planet.