Indore Method

of
Composting

Indore Method of Composting

An important advance
in
the
practice
of
composting was made
at Indore in India by
Howard
during
the
period 1924 to 1926.

Indore Method of
Composting
The
traditional
procedure
was
systematized
into
a
method of composting
now
known
as
the
Indore method.

Indore Method of
Composting

Raw materials
The raw materials used are
mixed plant residues, animal
dung and urine, earth, wood
ash and water.
Hard woody materials are first
spread on the farm road and
crushed under vehicles such as
tractors or bullock carts before
being piled.

Indore Method of
Composting

Such hard materials should

in any case not exceed ten
percent of the total plant
residues.
Green materials, which are
soft
and
succulent,
are
allowed to wilt for two to
three days to remove excess
moisture before stacking.

Indore Method of
Composting

The mixture of different kinds of

organic material residues ensures
a more efficient decomposition.
While stacking, each type of
material is spread in layers about
15 centimetres thick until the
heap is about one and a half
metres high.

Indore Method of
Composting
The heap is then cut into vertical
slices and about 20-25 kilograms
are put under the feet of cattle
in the shed as bedding for the
night.
The next morning the bedding,
along with the dung and urine
and urine-earth, is taken to the
pits where the composting is to
be done.

Indore Method of Composting

Site and pit dimension of Pit Method

The site selected for the

compost pit should be at
high level so that no
rainwater gets in during the
monsoon season; it should
be near to the cattle shed
and a water source.

Indore Method of Composting

Site and pit dimension

A temporary shed may be

constructed over it to
protect the compost from
heavy rainfall.
The pit should be about 1
m deep, 1.5-2 m wide and
of any suitable length.

Indore Method of Composting

Heap Method

Start building the heaps by

laying
a
lattice
of
old
branches at the bottom.
Divide the base area of the
heap into a 6 (roughly equal)
transverse sections, five of
which are filled and one left
vacant.

Indore Method of Composting

Heap Method

Make each section of 7

layers (figure 1) of 9 inch
thickness. In a 9 inch
layer, have 4 inches of dry
waste, 3 inches of green
weeds
and
leaves,
2
inches of manure and a
sprinkling of urine-earth-

Indore Method of Composting

Heap Method
Working

The central portion of the compost

heap gets heated to its maximum
temperature, within one week of
its completion.
The material in the cooler region
composts slowly and the weeds,
seeds and diseased material may
not be completely decomposed.

Indore Method of Composting

Heap Method
Working

Hence, it is vital to turn the heap

so that the cooler top, bottom
and sides get mixed back into
the middle of the new heap,
once the temperature at the
centre begins to drop. Turning
also facilitates thorough mixing
of the ingredients and their
aeration.

Indore Method of Composting

Heap Method
Working
Carry out the first turning two
weeks after construction of the
heap.
Put the top 9 inches from section
5 into the floor of section 6,
mixing it in the process.
Cover it with the next 9 inch layer
and water it. Re-establish the air
vents before proceeding further.

Indore Method of Composting

Heap Method

Working
Switch section 4 to Section 5,
once Section 5 is completely
turned over into Section 6.
Keep
turning
over
each
section into the next one,
leaving Section - I blank
(figure -4).

Indore Method of Composting

Heap Method

Working
Carry
out
the
second
turning after 3 weeks. A
third turning is realized
only
if
the
original
materials
are
recognizable,
after
9
weeks. It takes around 12

Indore Method of Composting

Heap Method

Working
The final product has a pliable
texture, an earthy smell and
is dark brown or grey in
colour. This matured compost
is half of its original volume
as it simply shrinks due to the
cooling process.

END