Maintaining the compost pile does not have to be a lot of work. Basically any pile of organic pile will eventually rot into fertilizer. It is just a question of how long it takes.

One key to maintaining your compost pile is to get it off to a good start in the first place. This means locating it in a level well-drained area. Also keep in mind that if you dispense with the freestanding outdoor compost pile in the first place and opt to put the waste in the bin you will save yourself a lot of work. This way you don’t have to worry about the compost becoming to wet. If it does become too wet it may become infested with bugs or viruses or reek enough that your neighbors will start complaining.

A big part of maintaining the compost pile is keeping it accessible to your kitchen. It must be fed generously and regularly with kitchen scraps. Keeping too much vegetable and fruit matter in your kitchen can start to smell so locating the compost pile near the door of your kitchen is a good idea. This is because if the compost pile is too far away you might forget to use it.

Compost piles have a bit of heat going on inside of their core. This is due to all of the enzymes and aerobic activity inside transforming the waste into soil fertilizer and soil conditioner. If you live in a colder climate then locate the pile in a sunny spot to trap solar heat. This will help to keep your compost pile biologically active. One hint with regards to this is to locate the compost pile in a place where it is sheltered from strong or very chilly northern winds.

If you live in a really hot arid climate you might actually have to water the compost pile a bit. At the very least keep it in a shady, sheltered spot so that it does not dry out and blow away. Anaerobic organisms that create compost cannot thrive in a desert climate so you will need to pay extra attention to maintain the compost heap as it will not likely degrade very quickly by itself. In fact it may not degrade at all. The inability of the desert climate to create compost is part of the reason that nothing grows in a desert in the first place.

It is also easier to maintain the compost if you build it over earth rather than over concrete or asphalt. This is because the earthworms that you want to lure to your compost heap don’t live in concrete and asphalts. Also earthworms, beneficial microbes and beneficial bacteria will migrate up and down the compost heap helping it to degrade and bringing it nutrients. Locating your compost pile over earth also gives the compost heap better drainage. Unlike concrete or asphalt the earth can also help a pile of compost retain moisture so it does not dry out and blow away.

To keep everyone happy including the neighbors try to locate a big compost pile in a place where both its sometimes-unpleasant odors and visually displeasing aspects are well hidden – perhaps behind a shed or a bush.

It is truly difficult to fail when it comes to composting. This is because it really is a natural organic process. If you must remember two things about composting it is to a) keep feeding it scraps and b) keep turning it over to air it out. If you maintain the compost by habitually doing these two things you can’t help but succeed in produce the fertilizer that is perfect for your garden.