A Compost Pile is simple to make and maintain. For aeons a simple compost pile was used by gardener's to make compost. All you require is a well-chosen site in your garden and you can start your own Compost Pile. Aim for a spot that is level, well-drained and sun-lit. If you plan to use kitchen refuse, locate it near the kitchen window or door. Build the pile over soil or lawn rather than concrete; this allows worms, microbes, bacteria and other decomposers to work in your pile. Soil also allows better drainage and aeration for quicker composting. A freestanding Compost Pile should also be placed in an unobtrusive discreet spot to avoid discomfiting the neighbors.

A freestanding Compost Pile is exactly that; you just pile up all household and garden refuse and let it rot. The first rule of thumb is that any organic material that rots can be added to this pile. A second corollary is to keep the pile as large as possible to generate maximum heat for decomposition.

Your Compost Pile can be either passive or Active. A passive Compost Pile involves minimal effort on your part. You just keep adding layers of organic material in equal parts of brown and green until nature's forces break it down into finished compost. This may take a year or more.
An active Compost Pile needs frequent intervention; it is highly managed labor-intensive periodic turning that yields compost in 3-4 weeks.

Compost piles should achieve a good balance of carbon and nitrogen: a 30:1 ratio is ideal. The speed with which a pile decomposes depends on mixing of material and shredding of material.
Layering is a tradition with piles; new materials are added to an established pile on an ongoing basis. The initial pile is thus pushed downwards while new ingredients are placed on top.

You can use a compost thermometer to gauge the decomposition rate of the compost pile. High temperature indicates a smooth decomposition rate; if temperature is low, add greens to heat up the process.

Compost piles are perfect for price-conscious households for they require low monetary investment. However, freestanding Compost piles demand greater attention and work for they are prone to the vagaries of nature; they may also look untidy, emit a foul smell and attract pests. Despite these drawbacks, a freestanding compost pile has survived for generations.

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