If your pile is going to be in the same place for a long time then you don’t have to worry about doing much to prepare the spot. Just throw down a base layer of a couple of inches of dirt, hay or leaves and you’re on your way. Many people like to build a couple of walls around their pile so as to deter animals and keep it contained but it’s not a necessity. If you wish to do this then I would recommend going to your nearest large grocery store and getting some used pallets, they work great and are usually the perfect size.

Also, if you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, I would recommend getting something that you can use as a lid for your pile. A tarp works great for this as you don’t want your pile to turn into a pile of mud and food scraps. That is sure to attract animals and other unwanted things.

If your pile is not going to be in the same place for long (less than a year or two) you might want to consider putting a tarp or something removable down on the bottom for easier clean up when your done. You might also consider bin composting as an alternative.