Why start and maintain a compost pile?

There are so many different reasons to establish and maintain a compost pile in the home garden that it is difficult to know where to start.  But ask any seasoned gardener, and they will tell you that well-made compost is pretty much everything your garden plants need to thrive.  Adding it to any soil improves the drainage and structure, and provides needed nutrients - all organically and for free!

A compost pile can be as elaborate or as simple as you choose it to be.  Mine is in an out of the way spot in the back yard, and is - for lack of a better description - a pile.  I grow tomatoes at the outer edges and they do spectacularly.  However, mine is a Habitat type of back yard and many people may want a more attractive set-up.  That being the case, there are a few things about compost you need to know before you decide what type of containment to use.  

Locate your compost heap in a level part of the yard, preferably where there is some shade during the hot days.  Too much sun will dry out the pile too quickly, and you will end up spending too much time keeping it moist.  Keep it close enough to a water supply such as a garden hose, and also bear in mind that it needs to be somewhere near the garden you intend to use it to supplement - so that it won't be a chore to use the finished product.  Try to place it in a well-drained part of the yard, and don't use any liner or boards underneath because you do want water to drain off easily.  

There are two primary types of bacteria that decompose the materials in a compost heap - anaerobic (doesn't require oxygen), and aerobic (does require oxygen).  The type you have in your pile is directly related to how often you turn the pile.  Aerobic bacteria works much faster than Anaerobic, and is the type that is present in a well-maintained pile that is turned often.  Anaerobic bacteria is much slower, but still does the job, and is present in my personal compost pile because I rarely get around to turning it.  I still get decent amounts of compost every year, in case you wondered....So, it's pretty much whatever style you choose and how much effort you put into it that will determine how much compost you have and how quickly you can transfer it to the garden.

This section will explore the different set-ups possible for composting, which is an integral part of home gardening, whether you are gardening organically or not.  In the following sections we will explore the various ways of accomplishing composting of yard materials and what to do with it when it is done.  Please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) link at the bottom of this page for common questions and concerns about composting.  More will follow, as this is a work in progress, so please Bookmark this site and return often, as it is updated daily.