• Build a Compost Pile: Basics - This is a good place for beginners to start, and also makes an excellent and quick review for experienced composters. This page provides a simple explanation of how to build a backyard compost pile.
• Build a Compost Pile: Advanced - If you've mastered the basics and want to improve your skills, this page will help you.
• More on Building a Compost Pile - Consult this page if you are looking for incremental efforts that will improve your pile's productivity.
• Compost Ingredients - Composters are constantly asking "Can I compost this or that?" This reference will answer those questions and will give you some ideas of organic items that may be composted. It lists items alphabetically and gives advice on whether you can compost them and any special tricks suggested.
• Use Finished Compost - Once the compost is finished, this page will guide you in applying the compost to ornamentals, trees, lawns, and potted plants.
• Leon's Composting* - Sometimes it is helpful to see how other composters are organized. Leon has agreed to let me showcase his compost piles which are larger than most shown on the pages above.

Other areas of the web site may be of help to you. Our suggestions are:

• Composting Equipment - Build or buy a bin, choose tools, and more.
• Composting Reference - Investigate C:N ratio, FAQ, Glossary and more.
• Why We Compost - Learn what compost is, the biology of compost, and environmental context.

Navigation Tip: If you want to go through the pages in this section as listed above, look in the right-most column below the Online Stores. Find the list labeled "BUILD A PILE" and click on the next page in the sequence. If there is no link associated with the item, that indicates that this information may be accessed only by logging into the Password-Protected Area of our web site.