Selecting your Compost Location

Selecting your Compost Location

Selecting your compost location for proper composting is important. Garden
prunings, leaves, and weeds if left alone in a pile will decompose, but with
composting, you want to speed this decomposition.
Choose Convenience
Above all, choose a location that is easy to get to and convenient. Most of your trips
to your compost will be from your kitchen (food scraps), so the compost location
should be as close as practically possible. It should be placed as not be in the way of
family and pet traffic.
Caution – Do not place your compost near areas where animals are able to defecate,
because feces harbor pathogens that are harmful to humans.
The Area Should Be Level with Good Drainage
Your location should be on a level area with good soil drainage. Soils with poor
drainage will slowdown
the compost decomposition. It’s not always possible, but
areas with filtered shade are preferred. Also, avoid windy locations (or protect it from
the wind). Windy areas can dry out and decrease the compost pile’s temperature.
Learn to Camouflage your
Compost Location
There are zillion different ways to
create a compost pile (bin or box,
etc.), but it’s a good idea to take a
military approach to it and use
camouflage. You can camouflage
using tall flowers, manageable
shrubs, a fence or a vine covered
trellis. Be creative when you
integrate your compost into your
garden.
Compost Locations to Avoid
· Under trees – Locate your
compost under trees with
caution, because after heavy rains and the tree’s shade, the compost may dry
out too slow. The trees roots may send roots into the bottom of the compost
searching for nutrients and water.
· Against permanent wooden structures – Compost will rot any wood in contact
with it. It’s fine to use wood for the compost pile or to fence it in, as long as
you know that you may need to replace it every three to four years.
· Under house eves or against the house – If the compost is place under roof
eves, the compost may not get enough rainfall or it may get to wet due to
excessive rain runoff.
Try to place your compost at least 20 feet away from
the house.
· In sight of your neighbors – If you live in a densely populated housing area,
be respectful of your neighbors. You may think that your compost is a
beautiful thing, but if it’s in plain site of your neighbors, they may not
appreciate it. Try to keep the compost out of site.