Composting

A compost heap needs to have both water and oxygen to work efficiently. In dry weather it may need to be Backyard composting in Livonia, Michigan. This system includes a 16 cubic foot (0.5 cubic meter) composting bin made from chicken wire and plywood, a soil screen made from 1/2 inch galvanized mesh wire and 1x6 boards, a wheelbarrow, and a digging fork. The system produces about 10 cubic feet (0.3 cubic meters) of compost per year. Photograph by Robert J. Huffman. Field Mark Publications. Reproduced by permission.

watered. More importantly, however, the compost heap must be turned regularly. The more often it is turned, the more the compost materials are exposed to oxygen, which raises their temperature and increases the efficiency of the process.

A compost heap needs to be at least 3 ft (0.9 m) in diameter and about 3 ft (0.9 m) high to work properly. The heap can be just piled on the ground or layered within a shallow hole. It can also be placed inside a small fenced enclosure or even in a large plastic or metal tub with holes cut into it. A smaller compost heap will probably be unable to achieve the high internal temperature-about 120–140°F (49–60°C)-necessary to work efficiently.