Compost Bins

Composting has many benefits for the at-home gardener:

-improved drainage where it is used
-better absorption of moisture
-provides many vital nutrients to plants
-ameliorates fertilizer runoff-this means you lose less fertilizer, making it more effective

Many gardeners use a compost bin because it looks nicer and keeps animals out of their compost. It can also make the composting process alot easier if you buy one that aerates and churns your compost materials. This also means that compost is created in much less time.

Building Your Own Compost Bin

Some gardeners choose to build their own bins, since it is easy and for the most part, inexpensive. It is essential to remember the following things when building your own compost bin:

-you must be able to easily access water, since compost needs it
-there must be a way for air to get into your compost
-you need to provide enough space, but not too much (3 ft. x 3 ft. x 3 ft.) is a good size

Why Compost

-you need to provide a turning mechanism or flip the pile manually

What happens inside your compost bin?

When you put organic household waste into your compost bin, millions of microorganisms begin decomposing it. Some organic materials produce nitrogen when decomposed, some produce carbon. It is important to keep this ratio in mind when deciding what to put into your compost bin. At the end of the composting process, you will have rich organic material that you can use on your plants.

Types of Compost Bins: From Simple to High Tech

If you are interested in purchasing a bin, there are many options available, some with necessary features, others with unnecessary frills. Here are some key types:

-a partially-enclosed bin-usually plastic-has no bottom-requires manual churning of compost
-insulated “tumbler”-type bin-keeps contents warm and aerated (churns the contents for you)
-rolling bin-compost stays aerated and pest-free
-worm bin- uses worms to produce rich organic material-more complicated than other types of bins

Purchasing your compost bin

Most garden centers will sell compost bins, though the selection might be limited or the prices high. It is good to shop around once you have an idea of what you want. Talk to someone at a garden center who is knowledgeable on the subject and then look online. Buying a compost bin doesn’t have to be expensive, especially if you manage to build your own. While some of the fanciest bins are a few hundred dollars, you can find one for under fifty bucks.

Every time you use your compost bin your garden will thank you!

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