Composting is a relatively easy process - if you put your food scraps in a pile they will eventually decompose. However, there are tons of ways to speed up the process and get healthy soil to use! One of the easiest way to speed up the decomposition process is choosing a great place to build your pile. Here are three simple tips to help:
- Find a flat area: Placing your pile on a flat surface will allow you to layer effectively and build a bigger mound.
- Make sure to use a permeable surface*: Compost piles create liquid as the particles decompose. Choosing an environment where that liquid can seep into the soil underneath will help the decomposition process.
- Build on place that gets lots of sun: Heat is a one of the main components of successful composting as it helps the microbes thrive. Placing your pile in the sun is a great passive way to increase the temperature!
There are tons of other things you can consider when placing your pile but these three are a great place to start! And remember that none of these tips are necessary for successful composting, they just help to speed up the process.
Happy composting!
*Some people will want to move their pile which is much easier to do when it is placed on a less permeable surface such as concrete. This is totally fine as long as that concrete is sloped to allow for proper runoff!