Originally posted 2.10.08 on our first blog

Planning my compost pile, has had me wondering the important factors of my most successful compost piles of past. There are many considerations to ponder in the quest for that perfect hot bed of garden gold. In my opinion, location and size are the most important items to consider when starting a new compost pile.
The concerns for location include accessibility, and the amount of sunlight, with a lesser consideration of the aesthetics of your pile. The location should be a place close enough to your garden area to save on the energy used getting your new fertilizer to its intended final resting place. Is it close enough so that you do not mind those daily trips out there to drop in your new deposits? Is the area sunny or shady? While it is not necessary to be located in a sunny location, it certainly helps in the breaking down of the materials in your compost. Is your compost facility a work of art, or is it hodge-podged like mine? Aesthetically speaking, mine would be considered the latter, but that does not bother me. A compost pile can be disguised by placing it behind a hedgerow or behind a fence. Me? I want to proudly display my efforts at compost, in hope of piquing someone else’s interest. No hiding for my pile!
A successful compost pile needs to be no smaller than 3′ x 3′  and about 3′ high. Making a pile too large will cause the weight of the matter added to compress the air out of the bulk and slow down the decomposition. Most of us are in a hurry for the compost to do its job, so in the case of compost bins, size does matter. Now, having said that, I must added that if you insist on the mother of all compost piles and make yours 5 x 5 x 5, there is a little gadget that might help. A large pvc pipe with holes drilled through it can be placed in the center of your pile, which will allow air into your pile and get things heated up. I have been toying with the idea of adding a smaller version pvc pipe to my bin this year.