Arizona is a challenging place to compost because it's so dry. That said, there are enormous benefits to composting in this environment as well.

We'll look at the pros, as well as how to handle the cons here to your compost can thrive.

compost system 3 bays made from wooden pallets in garden with drip lines
Pallets like these may help lock in a little more moisture than an open pile, especially when the cracks fill up with finished compost. These have a drip line draped over them for consistent automated watering.

Arizona Compost Tips

Enclose Compost for Moisture Retention

The more you can enclose your compost, the less often you'll need to water it.

Just remember that compost does need oxygen, so the more you enclose it the more often you'll want to turn it to aerate.

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unfinished compost chunky inspected by hand in tote
Plastic totes like this are a great way to lock in moisture, so that less water is needed to make compost happen.

Remember to drill holes in the bottom of totes for drainage, and also consider drilling lots of side holes to add some airflow.

I usually leave the lid ajar on compost totes for more air exchange, and so that black soldier flies can get in and help speed things up.

Irrigate Your Compost Pile

Just be sure that compost is slightly drier than soil to prevent excessive microbial activity from getting out of hand.

Balance C:N Ratio

In wet climates, too much moist nitrogenous 'green' material can lead to a slimy pile that goes anaerobic. In these climates, gardeners need to lean on more carbonaceous 'browns' to keep compost dry enough and slow down decomposition

Conversely, dry climates like Arizona cause compost piles to dry out and dessicate much faster than they would in other climates.

Because of this, Arizona gardeners should lean on more wet nitrogenous food scraps and coffee grounds to keep the pile moist and decomposition happening.

Check out our guide on controlling compost bioactivity to learn more about how your C:N ratio affects the biology of your compost.



Turn Compost Regularly

While frequent turning can help dry out and aerate wet compost piles in rainy climates, frequent turning also has benefits here in the desert.

turning compost in such an arid environment can help you to assess the moisture level and bioactivity, and give you a chance to add more water if parts of your compost are too dry. It's a chance to inspect the progress and make needed adjustments.

With totes and small compost systems, I find these Lotech cranks (locally made in Tucson) work wonders for turning and aerating compost.

Remember to keep your compost moist enough that you could wring a drop or two of water out of it when squeezed. If you let it totally dessicate, the compost process will slow to barely a crawl.

A moisture meter reading of about 5 out of 10 is a great target to shoot for, a little more dry than you'd keep your garden or planters.