Where to Place Your Compost Pile or Bin
Any pile of organic matter will eventually rot, but a well-chosen site can speed up the process. Look for a level, well-drained area. If you plan to add kitchen scraps, keep it accessible to the back door. Don’t put it so far away you’ll neglect the pile. In cooler latitudes, keep the pile in a sunny spot to trap solar heat. Look for some shelter to protect the pile from freezing cold winds which could slow down the decaying process. In warm, dry latitudes, shelter the pile in a shadier spot so it doesn’t dry out too quickly.
Build the pile over soil or lawn rather than concrete or asphalt, to take advantage of the earthworms, beneficial microbes, and other decomposers, which will migrate up and down as the seasons change. Uncovered soil also allows for drainage. If tree roots are extending their roots into the pile, turn it frequently so they can’t make headway.
Look for a spot that allows you to compost discretely, especially if you have neighboring yards in close proximity. Aim for distance and visual barriers between the pile and the neighbors.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
My interest in composting has arisen from the need to keep the residential areas clean. At present, in our neighbourhood leaves and other trash in scattered form make the roadsides dirty and need to be swept frequently and transported to a landfill or dumped at other sites. I am wondering can’t we make pits on the roadsides,space permitting and sweep the leaves, grass and other non-plastic trash into such pits which after 3-4 months (or so) gets decomposed into manure. If this can be done it can help keep the neighbourhood neat and clean with minimum effort and save lot of cost too. Can readers advise helpful tips for this. Also, is there a liklihood of odor?
My wife has been having an open space demarcated by a briick border and throwing in leaves, grass and vegetable/fruit peels and in a few months she harvests manure of high quality which is used to fertilize the plants in the house yard. No smell has ever emanated. I shall greatly appreciate advice/helpful tips. Thanx.
@Harish Capoor, Yes, this will work however keep in mind you may begin to attract rodents if you have not already. Try to keep fruit and veggie peels buried deep within the pile.
Can I compost in a heavy , very sturdy, plastic tub. Lid on or off.
rosalyn, Yes, you can. However I recommend you drill some holes in the bottom so the water drains out. You could put another bin under it to collect the compost tea. Organic material will break down regardless, by using a bin or tumbler you’re simply creating an ideal environment to speed up the process. You may want to drill or cut holes on the sides and top as well, this will give the much needed oxygen to break down. Turn it every week or two.
I have a 2-3 year old compost on the ground, I was told by my town that I need to move the compost becouse it is killing my neighbor pine tree. could this hapen? and how fare do i have to move it? Thanks for your help
@Arnie, I have not heard of this problem with a pine tree but I have heard that some trees do not do well if their exposed roots are covered, it has something to do with the oxygen they need. Be neighborly and move it at least the distance of the longest branch. Typically the branches indicate how far the roots reach, so if you go beyond the roots you should be fine.
Hello. My husband was trying to be helpful and sprayed some Round-Up on the area I am going to put my compositor (open on the bottom) to kill the Bermuda/St. Augustine grass it will sit on. I was horrified and now scared to put my compositor in this spot because I fear contamination from the round-up. Is that a valid concern? If so, what do you recommend I do to clean up the area…if it’s possible! Also, how concerned do I have to be to have it sit on grass–was thinking the grass would grow into the compost.
Thanks!
@Ellen
I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Roundup is designed to become inert after it hits the soil, unless you are using that “extended” formula that has a different herbicide in it. So if you have waited a couple of days, it should be no problem at all, assuming it’s regular Roundup.
Also, compost can actually be used to remediate contaminated soil, as studied by the EPA.
http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/composting/pubs/analysis.txt
Grass won’t grow into the composter, because it is dark in there and grass likes full sun. You can use a weedeater around the edge of the bin to keep grass from growing tall around it.
Thank you so much for this great info…you have really set my mind at ease!
I have a compost tumbler tyre and one bin has garden and household cuttings from various produce and there seems to be a lot on small nats in the bin what’s wrong?
Jim, The gnats might be fruit flies, they’re harmless but annoying. When adding fruit scraps be sure to bury them deep within your compost and to keep it well mixed (aerated).
We have just purchased a composte bin. We live in a high desert area and have no grass, few leaves and few pine needles. What can we use for the carbon component of the mix? Thank you.
@Erin
You can compost with mostly nitrogen and hardly any carbon. It just isn’t quite as quick or effective to compost that way. Since you are in the high desert, the nitrogen rich stuff should dry out and probably won’t cause bad smells like too much nitrogen can cause in wetter areas. You can add some shredded newspaper for carbon in a pinch, but don’t overdo it.
In the end, everything decomposes. So if you can’t get the perfect mix of carbon and nitrogen, you’ll still be okay.
We have a neighborhood garden about 70′x80 and we need to add compost before planting in the spring. We have started a compost pile, but I don’t think we will have much ready to use this spring, so we will need to purchase some. Can anyone give me an idea of how to figure out how much we will need? Thanks!
@Shari, You would likely want to till in 3 inches of compost to the existing soil. You would need just over 50 yards of compost to achieve this.
Thanks Steve – that’s exactly what I was looking for!