How To Build a Compost Heap

When you build a compost pile, you are going to need several things to get it started right.

  • Firstly, you need brown material for the compost. I'll call theses our browns. This can include items like straw or autumn leaves but can also be stuff like newspaper shreddings or dead flowers.
  • Next, we'll need to gather some greens for the compost. No not spinach or kale from your cupboard, but left overs of plant like foods will do. The key here is that we want nitrogen in the mix. Good nitrogen levels in your composting bin will keep the process running smoothly. Some other nitrogen rich substances will consist of manure, rinds, peels, and the cut grass from your lawn.
  • Third, we need dirt. Not just rocks and sand, but some good gardening soil. A couple of gallons should do for a medium sized compost bin. It is approximate so you don't need to be picky about carefully measuring the amount. It's main purpose is to introduce the micro-organisms into your compost heap.
To get it going, prep a location that is about 3 feet by 3 feet (or 1 meter by 1 meter) for your compost heap. Wet the ground to prevent parched earth from draining your heap of moisture and to attract worms. Spread about 7 to 8 inches (18-20cm) of browns on your prepped compost location. This base will be very airy and allow oxygen penetration at the bottom. The browns should be dry and coarse. If need be, let them dry out before you begin. Chip larger pieces to about an inch to speed decomposition (2.5 cm). The base is thicker than the rest to promote good circulation. Then, lay down some of your greens but only about 2.5 to 3 inches. Now, let's shoot for about a 60%/40% browns to greens mix as we add the first thin brown layer (3-3.5 inches of browns). Once you have your brown and green compost layers in place, shovel on a thin layer of gardening soil. This will get the bacteria into the pile. Go ahead and put on your next layers of greens and browns and then moisten the beginnings of your compost pile. You don't want to soak it, just mist it very well. It should feel like a wet rag that has been wrung out thoroughly. Repeat the process of adding green, brown, soil, and moisture. Layering can be argued against, but if you keep the layers thin enough so that bacteria can access your browns and greens at the same time, they will compost nicely. Continue layering until you are up to about 3 feet (1m) in height. If you don't have that much material to start, that's OK. Just keep adding as you gather more compost material. This will slow down decomposition but it will get going. Cover the pile with black plastic or a tarp to protect it from drying out in too much sun or getting soppy in too much rain.

Now, after a couple of weeks, turn your compost heap. You can turn the pile by moving the material in the center of the pile to the perimeter and pushing the perimeter into the center of the compost pile. A garden fork should help you out very nicely with this. Moisten the pile to keep the process going. If you see steam, that is good. This shows that your ingredients are decomposing. Keep turning your compost heap every couple of weeks and keeping it moist. Earthworms will move in and the middle of the pile will start to turn black. This black material will be crumbly and sweet to smell, this will be compost. All of your material may not be composted, but you can use that to start your next pile.

If an open compost heap is not condusive to your living situation, you can look into a compost bin. This will keep the compost contained, and some bins help to make turning easier. You can read about compost tumblers and bins on this site as well.

decomposing compost heap