Building Your Own Compost Pile

General Composting Rules

• The composting pile should be at least 1 cubic yard (3' x 3' x 3'). Ideal size is a 3 to 5 foot square.
• Locate the composting pile on level, well-drained ground near a water source.
• Stay away from wooden fences and buildings.
• Don’t set up over shallow tree roots.
• Mix Greens (for nitrogen) with Browns (for carbon) at a 2:1 Green/Brown ratio.
  
• Moisten materials as you add them and leave a concave depression at the top of the pile to capture rain. The composting pile should be kept about as damp as a wrung out sponge. It is a good idea to cover the composting pile during periods of very high moisture.
  
• Add water as needed to maintain correct moisture.
  
• Turn, fluff or aerate the composting pile every week.
  
• The composting is complete (approximately 3 to 6 months) when it is dark brown-black, crumbly and sweet smelling. The temperature of the pile will also drop to ambient air temperature from a composting temperature of 120° - 150° F (48° - 66° C) when composting is complete.
  
• Age one month after removal from your bin before using as a soil amendment (it should be fully decomposed!).
  

Building a Composting Pile

• A composting pile is a simple heap of yard waste.
• In order to keep the pile manageable, try to limit the size to 5 feet high and 5 feet wide.
• Contain the heap by piling it against an existing wire fence or digging a 10 – 15 inch pit beneath it.

Building a Portable Composting Bin

• ¼ A portable composting bin is best made of woven wire (e.g., hardware cloth with ½" openings).
• ¼ Need from 11 ft. to 23 ft. of hardware cloth 3 ft. wide.
• ¼ Tie the ends together with hooks or wire.
• You can also build a framed composting bin with treated lumber and hardware cloth.
  
• Remember to try to limit the framed bin's size to 5' x 5' x 5' with a minimum of 3' x 3' x 3'.

Building a Pallet Bin

• Need 5 pallets with slat spacing of ½" – 1".
• Place 1 pallet with slats up on the ground.
• Arrange the remaining pallets upright (short sides up) around each side of the base to form a box.
• Attach the sides at each corner with wire, coat hangers, rope, etc.
• Sides last 4 to 6 years; replace as needed.
• Bottom lasts 1 to 2 years; drop another fresh pallet over the old base when needed.
• By using a total of 9 pallets you can transform the pallet bin into a multi-bin unit.
• Add a 2nd bottom pallet next to the side of the 1st bin.
• Fasten the 3 additional pallets around it. Making sure it is tied into the 1st bin.
• Use the 2nd bin to aerate the composting pile by move the composting pile from 1 side to the other.
• By adding a 3rd bin (4 additional pallets), you can also have a bin to store the finished compost in while it cures for the month after composting is complete.

Other Bins

• In addition to the bins you make yourself, there are a number of ready-made bins currently on the market and available at local stores.

Composting information courtesy of the Maryland Department of the Environment