Compost Pile Examples

Enclosed Bins

• Select from a variety of commercial compost bins, which are usually made of plastic with ventilation holes. Vegetable waste, grass clippings, leaves and other material can be added to the bin as it becomes available. Do not add woody material as it slows down the already slow decomposition in these bins. Material at the bottom of the bin is farther along in the decomposition process than at the top. Some units can be turned or tumbled to aerate the compost and speed decomposition. Plastic bins are best for people with limited space.

Open Enclosures

• Open-topped or three-sided structures for containing compost can be purchased or built. Compost materials are placed within these structures and then turned periodically to mix them. The structures can be made of rot-resistant wood, concrete blocks, pallets, hardware cloth or wire fencing, hay bales or other available material. For best results, the compost should be kept about as moist as a damp sponge. You can build a series of open bins and move the compost from one to the other to aerate the compost.

Piles

• Organic matter can be composted in a simple pile. The minimum size of a compost pile is 3 feet wide, 3 feet long and 3 feet high, but it can be larger. A hot, fast pile can be made by alternately layering 6 to 8 inches of organic material like grass clipping, shredded leaves or kitchen waste with 2 to 3 inches of animal manure. Water each layer as the pile is built. Cover the entire pile with a layer of garden soil. Turn and mix the pile every two to three days.

Pit Composting

• Compost can be made in place in the garden in a method known as pit composting. Dig a 1-foot-wide trench along one side of a 3-foot-wide area. Form a path in the middle and plant along the other side. Put organic material in the trench as it becomes available, covering it with soil when it is almost full. The next year dig a trench along the other side of the area and plant in the previous year's soil-covered compost.

Sheet Composting

• Sheet composting is a slow but simple method. Organic material is spread directly on the soil and allowed to decompose in place. If dry material like wood chips, dry leaves or straw is used, the microorganisms that break the material down may tie up the nitrogen in the soil, making it unavailable to plants. Sheet composting is more effective if a 2-inch layer of manure is spread on the soil first and then covered with dry plant material.