Compost Pile - Building Tips
Compost piles may be contained in bins or other enclosures or simply piled on the ground. Whichever you choose there are some simple things to consider before the pile is established.
1.Make if close to the main garden. A lot of compost material will come from pulled weeds and spent plants so you may as well carry them as short a distance as possible. Likewise the majority of the finished material will be going directly on the garden.
2.Consider putting it right into the garden. If you do not plan on turning it every three or four days but just letting it sit and compost, it can be an ideal location for cucumbers and the like. The compost feeds the plants and they can be tied to the bin side as they grow.
3.Under a deciduous tree is a good place to put a compost heap. In summer they keep the pile cooler and prevent it from drying out so easily while the lack of shade in spring and fall allows the pile to use the warmth of the sun to great advantage.
4.Having the pile near a hose bib allows for easier watering. Both the heat of the sun and the heat of a working pile will cause a lot of moisture to be released and it will need to be periodically replaced.
The pile may be free standing or enclosed in a bin, either commercial or homemade. Take into consideration that a reasonably sized compost pile is at least three feet high, wide and deep. This means that a fair amount of material will be needed to build the pile. There tend to be two varieties of thought as to how to gather and build the pile.
The first group tends to dump and maybe turn. As material arises, be it dried leaves or wet kitchen leavings, it is summarily dumped on the growing pile. Once the pile reaches a certain size or the gardening season comes to an end, depending on the composter’s preference, it may or may not be turned. This one turning is worthwhile as it mixes the materials better and will usually shorten the composting time by half. Such a pile is generally left until the bottom half to two thirds is composted, about a one year period, and that compost is used while the rest of the material goes into the next pile.
Group two take a more systematic approach to the whole process and tend to be hot composters seeking finished compost in a period of two to three weeks after finishing gathering a pile. Likely they will have bins, at least three of them. Dry, brown material such as dried leaves or spoiled hay is gathered in one pile and wet, green material such as kitchen waste is placed in another. At a ration of two parts dry to one part green by volume the piles are blended to form one pile at least three feet high, wide and deep. This will be turned every three to four days until finished, generally from two to three weeks.
Whichever approach is used, there will finished compost at the end. It will enhance the soil and grow better vegetables and blooms. The choice of methods is arbitrary but the value of the compost gives it the gardener’s name of “black gold.”
Darrell Feltmate is an avid gardener who has been composting and gardening for over 25 years with gardens up to 1/2 acre and compost piles for each. His composting site may be found at Compost Central. You can become a master composter in no time at all.
Compost is a great addition to any garden and is not hard to make. For more information and instruction refer to Compost Central.
Tags: bin, building, compost pile, composting, garden, gardening, making, mulch, organic, turning
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