WSU-Puyallup Compost Mixture Calculato

Welcome to the WSU-Puyallup compost mixture calculator. The calculator is a spreadsheet that cal
based on the analysis of your feed stocks and the mixture proportions that you choose. You can us
feedstock mixtures on C:N ratio and moisture content of the initial pile. You can also use the spread
make a suitable mix for composting, or if you need to find different materials or change proportion

The spreadsheet consists of three different worksheets. The first is a list of typical feed stock chara
(Rynk et al, 1992), and from data that we have collected at WSU. The second page is the compost m
change proportions to come up with your own mixture. The third page does the calculations to ma

The compost mixture input sheet contains input cells (red text) for entering feedstock information,
results. Enter feedstock information based on your own analyses or data, or use the information pr
calculates the moisture content and C:N ratio of your compost mixture. Mixtures are calculated by
weight and volume you can use the bulk density data provided in the feedstock list. You can change
calculation until you find the desired C:N ratio and moisture content.

If you have questions please contact Andy Bary bary@wsu.edu or Craig Cogger cogger@w
Mix Identifier Date

Material Mix Moisture Solids Total Total C:N

parts Content Content N C
yards % % % %
chkyrd 1.0 66 34 1.37 35 25
chkbed 1.0 56 45 2.19 27 12
food 1.0 79 22 1.41 31 22
weeds 2.0 71 29 1.38 17 12
bulk 6.0 50 50 0.08 44 50

extra water to add, gallons 0

extra water to add, lbs 0
Mix Carbon % 38 Target
Mix Nitrogen % 0.75 Range
Mix C:N 50 20-40:1
Mix moisture 60 40-65%
 Bulk
Density
lb/cu yd
1800
836
973
400
600
 Select characteristics for c

Feed Stock Type

1 crop residues & processing wastes
2 crop residues & processing wastes
3 crop residues & processing wastes
4 crop residues & processing wastes
5 crop residues & processing wastes
6 crop residues & processing wastes
7 crop residues & processing wastes
8 crop residues & processing wastes
9 crop residues & processing wastes
10 crop residues & processing wastes
11 crop residues & processing wastes
12 fish and meat
13 fish and meat
14 manures
15 manures
16 manures
17 manures
18 manures
19 manures
20 manures
21 manures
22 manures
23 Municipal wastes
24 straw, hay silage
25 straw, hay silage
26 wood and paper
27 wood and paper
28 wood and paper
29 wood and paper
30 wood and paper
31 wood and paper
32 yard trimmings and other vegetation
33 yard trimmings and other vegetation

34 Washington State University-Puyallup

35 Washington State University-Puyallup
36 Washington State University-Puyallup
37 Washington State University-Puyallup

40 Washington State University-Puyallup

39 Washington State University-Puyallup
38 Washington State University-Puyallup
41 Washington State University-Puyallup

42 Washington State University-Puyallup

43 Washington State University-Puyallup
44 Washington State University-Puyallup
45 Washington State University-Puyallup
 Select characteristics for compost feed stock materials

Moisture
content % (wet
Material Type of Value weight)
Apple filter cake Typical 60
Apple pomace Typical 88
Apple-processing sludge Typical 59
Cocoa shells Typical 8
Corn cobs Average 15
Corn stalks Typical 12
Cranberry filter cake Typical 50
Cranberry filter cake (with rice hulls) Typical 71
Rice hulls Range 7-12
Rice hulls Average 14
Vegetable produce Typical 87
Crab and lobster wastes Average 47
Paunch manure Typical 80-85
Broiler litter Range 22-46
Broiler litter Average 37
Cattle Range 67-87
Cattle Average 81
Horse-general Range 59-79
Horse-general Average 72
Laying hens Range 62-75
Laying hens Average 69
Turkey litter Average 26
Sewage sludge Range 72-84
Straw-general Range 4-10
Straw-general Average 12
Corrugated cardboard Typical 8
Newsprint Typical 3-8
Paper pulp Typical 82
Sawdust Range 19-65
Sawdust Average 39
Telephone books Typical 6
Shrub trimmings Typical 15
Tree trimmings Typical 70

Fair waste 2007 57

poultry manure broiler 2007 49
Yard trimmings 2007 61
dairy solids 2007 81

fair waste 2008 50

poultry manure (broilers) 2008 19
yard trimmings 2008 50
dairy solids 2008 83

Fair waste 2009 42

river road chicken manure 2009 42
Yard trimmings 2009 68
dairy solids 2009 81

a
Estimated from ash or volatile solids data.
b
Mostly organic nitrogen.
ed stock materials

Solids C:N ratio Bulk density

content % Nitrogen Carbon (%dry (weight to (pounds per
(wet weight) (%dry weight) weight) weight) cubic yard)
40 1.2 16 13 1,197
12 1.1 53 48 1,559
41 2.8 20 7 1,411
92 2.3 51 22 798
85 0.6 59 98 557
88 0.6-0.8 36-58 60-73a 32
50 2.8 87 31 1,021
29 1.2 50 42 1,298
88-93 0.4 - 133-1,120 185-219
86 0.3 36 121 202
13 2.7 51 19 1,585
53 6.1 30 4.9 240
15-20 1.8 36-54 20-30 1,460
53-78 1.6-3.9 19-59 12-15a 756-1,026
63 2.7 38 14a 864
13-33 1.5-4.2 - 11-30 1,323-1,674
19 2.4 46 19 1,458
21-41 1.4-2.3 - 22-50 1,215-1,620
28 1.6 48 30 1,379
25-38 4-10 - 3-10 1,377-1,620
31 8.0 48 6 1,479
74 2.6 42 16a 783
16-28 2-6.9 - 5-16 1,075-1,750
90-96 0.3-1.1 - 48-150 58-378
88 0.7 56 80 227
92 0.10 56 563 259
92-97 0.06-0.14 - 398-852 195-242
18 0.59 53 90 1,403
35-81 0.06-0.8 - 200-750 350-450
61 0.24 106 442 410
94 0.7 540 772 250
85 1.0 53 53 429
30 3.1 50 16 1296

43 0.88 50 57 287
51 3.99 48 12 836
39 1.54 32 21 973
19 1.49 49 33 1342 NH4-N
%
50 0.43 54 126 313 0.14
81 3.58 48 13 623 0.70
50 1.41 41 29 574 0.14
17 1.50 53 35 1392 0.50

58 0.54 57 107 250

58 3.93 47 12 779
32 1.20 52 43 838
19 0.95 54 57 1156
 Calculations

Nitrogen Carbon Water Mix

Nitrogen
lb/yd lb/yd lb/yd lb/yd
chkyrd 8.4 213.4 1186.2 8.4
chkbed 8.1 100.1 464.0 8.1
food 3.0 65.4 764.1 3.0
weeds 1.6 19.4 285.2 3.2
bulk 0.2 132.0 300.0 1.4
total 24
moisture %
solids %
lb solids in mix
water gallons
 Mix Mix wet
Carbon Water weight
lb/yd lb/yd
213.4 1186.2 1800.0
100.1 464.0 836.0
65.4 764.1 973.3
38.8 570.4 800.0
792.0 1800.0 3600.0
1210 4785 8009
0.60
0.40
3225
576

4785 8009