Compost piles should be kept damp but not saturated with water. Turning the pile with a pitchfork helps distribute the moisture.

Whether making a compost pile in your customers' yards, or building your own for natural fertilizer to sell to, or service your customers, here is a step-by-step guide, courtesy of The Grounds Guys, a family of franchises that specialize in commercial and residential landscape management services.

1. Get the right spot
Compost piles should be in dry, shady spots near a water source. Avoid putting your compost pile near a building or garden. Compost piles tend to attract insects that can ruin gardens or enter structures.

2. Build the support structure
Use wood or wire mesh to construct a support for the compost pile. A compost pile that is not contained can be shifted and moved by the wind. Wildlife can also make a home in the compost pile.

3. Choose your natural waste
Fallen leaves, dead plants, paper products, grass clippings and vegetable scraps make excellent compost. If there is a nearby garden that produces unusable plants, add them to the compost pile.

4. Add water
The best compost piles are ones that are kept moist. You want to keep your compost pile damp, but do not soak the pile. Check the moisture of the pile regularly. Turn the pile with a pitchfork to see if more than just the top level is moist.

5. Nature will take over
The Compost pile will change shape and color over time. The compost pile should go from green to brown. When you add material to the compost, add water and turn the pile using a pitchfork.