Compost bin vs. pile?
We always used to just toss everything in a huge heap at the edge of the yard, but now it seems like everyone uses bins. What are the advantages of bins vs. piles? Does stuff degrade faster? Also, do bins require more maintenance?
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rainbowgardener
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Depends, there's lots of different kinds of bins. But no, I wouldn't think bins generally require any maintenance.
Main advantage to the bin of whatever kind, is that it keeps your compost piled. It heats up a lot better if piled up, rather than spread out. Also it keeps critters out. I personally would not have much compost (certainly no kitchen scraps in it) if it weren't in my wire bin, because the raccoons, possums, groundhogs, etc would take everything except the leaves out of it.
Main advantage to the bin of whatever kind, is that it keeps your compost piled. It heats up a lot better if piled up, rather than spread out. Also it keeps critters out. I personally would not have much compost (certainly no kitchen scraps in it) if it weren't in my wire bin, because the raccoons, possums, groundhogs, etc would take everything except the leaves out of it.
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Gary350
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I assume your talking about those bins that rotate like a cement mixer and some look like a large black garbage can. Those things look nice. I suppose one of those would be nice to have but the only problem I have with it is, I don't have 30 gallons of compost all at once to fill it up. If you keep adding organic material to it all summer the part that was put in there in June may be composted by August but the part you put in there in July will not be completely composted and it will be mixed with all the other that is composted. So the problem for me is I don't want to use my compost until it is all completely composted.
I do small batches of compost all summer in 5 gallon plastic buckets that I pick up free at construction sites. I mix 5 gallons of organic material, a few hands full of dirt and a couple hands full of wood ashes from my wood stove. Mix well and pee in it for about a week then I set it in full sun for a month. The black buckets get very hot and the compost is usually completely composted in 1 month. The white and red buckets don't get hot enough in the sun to completely compost in a month.
I have a compost pile in the corner of my garden it is mostly tree leaves and grass clipping from last summer that did not compost over the winter. Little by little that pile all ends up in 5 gallon buckets.
I plant my garden in the soil not raised beds. I have tried raised beds. I put a lot of my compost around my tomato plants and other plants. I build a dirt levy around all the tomatoes and peppers large enough to hold 1 quart of water. I fill the levy with compost and every evening I give the plants a quart of water. The compost soaks up the water like a sponge and releases it into the soil. It doesn't take very long for the compost to dissapear into the soil.
In the spring when I plant my garden I dig 8" diameter holes for my tomatoes. I fill the holes with compost and plant my tomatoes, peppers, squash and melons. I dig a ditch about 4" deep for beans put in the seeds then cover the seeds with compost. I don't have enough compost to do raised bed in a 27 x 45 garden with 15 rows 24 ft long each.
I have a lot of tree leaves but leaves are about 95% air space. Several years ago I raked all my tree leaves into the garage and closed the door. The 24x24 garage was 4 ft deep in leaves. I got my lawn mower in there and mowed the leaves. It ground them up into tiny particals 4 ft of leaves turned into about 3 inches of powder. That made it very easy to till the leaves into the garden in the fall. Next summer I had a low nitrogen problem in my garden.
I am trying to be as efficient as possible. I don't like doing double work. I don't want to be spinning my wheels either.
I do small batches of compost all summer in 5 gallon plastic buckets that I pick up free at construction sites. I mix 5 gallons of organic material, a few hands full of dirt and a couple hands full of wood ashes from my wood stove. Mix well and pee in it for about a week then I set it in full sun for a month. The black buckets get very hot and the compost is usually completely composted in 1 month. The white and red buckets don't get hot enough in the sun to completely compost in a month.
I have a compost pile in the corner of my garden it is mostly tree leaves and grass clipping from last summer that did not compost over the winter. Little by little that pile all ends up in 5 gallon buckets.
I plant my garden in the soil not raised beds. I have tried raised beds. I put a lot of my compost around my tomato plants and other plants. I build a dirt levy around all the tomatoes and peppers large enough to hold 1 quart of water. I fill the levy with compost and every evening I give the plants a quart of water. The compost soaks up the water like a sponge and releases it into the soil. It doesn't take very long for the compost to dissapear into the soil.
In the spring when I plant my garden I dig 8" diameter holes for my tomatoes. I fill the holes with compost and plant my tomatoes, peppers, squash and melons. I dig a ditch about 4" deep for beans put in the seeds then cover the seeds with compost. I don't have enough compost to do raised bed in a 27 x 45 garden with 15 rows 24 ft long each.
I have a lot of tree leaves but leaves are about 95% air space. Several years ago I raked all my tree leaves into the garage and closed the door. The 24x24 garage was 4 ft deep in leaves. I got my lawn mower in there and mowed the leaves. It ground them up into tiny particals 4 ft of leaves turned into about 3 inches of powder. That made it very easy to till the leaves into the garden in the fall. Next summer I had a low nitrogen problem in my garden.
I am trying to be as efficient as possible. I don't like doing double work. I don't want to be spinning my wheels either.
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rainbowgardener
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Compost bin does not necessarily mean compost tumbler. There are bins like this:
[url=https://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=423356&pid=_Froogle&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=664039]compost bin[/url]
that you add to continuously, don't have to do batch composting.
There are wire compost bins like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Bosmere-K765-Wire-Compost-Bin/dp/B0017XY3HK
What I have is similar except it also has a top panel. I add continuously to mine also.
There's all variety of homemade compost bins, made from concrete blocks, wooden pallets, etc etc. Here's plans for some:
This has plans for several different kinds of homemade bins:
https://www3.uwm.edu/Dept/shwec/publications/cabinet/html/compost/Bin%20Plans.htm
They all have in common that they keep the compostables piled up nicely and keep the critters out.
[url=https://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=423356&pid=_Froogle&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=664039]compost bin[/url]
that you add to continuously, don't have to do batch composting.
There are wire compost bins like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Bosmere-K765-Wire-Compost-Bin/dp/B0017XY3HK
What I have is similar except it also has a top panel. I add continuously to mine also.
There's all variety of homemade compost bins, made from concrete blocks, wooden pallets, etc etc. Here's plans for some:
This has plans for several different kinds of homemade bins:
https://www3.uwm.edu/Dept/shwec/publications/cabinet/html/compost/Bin%20Plans.htm
They all have in common that they keep the compostables piled up nicely and keep the critters out.
When I went to go pick up Lil'Bean from daycare yesterday afternoon, I noticed that someone had put one of those out by the roadside. They must have upgraded, because the one by the roadside looks complete. I plan on picking it up tomorrow and setting it up in my side yard. Right now we just throw all out veggie scraps on the garden leaf pile.rainbowgardener wrote:Compost bin does not necessarily mean compost tumbler. There are bins like this:
[url=https://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=423356&pid=_Froogle&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=664039]compost bin[/url]
that you add to continuously, don't have to do batch composting.
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Gary350
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Check craigs list I see there is a free 50 gallon black plastic compost bin near Nashville. You can also find free stuff to build a compost bin. I have tried several different compost bin ideas over the past 40 years I have gone to 5 gallon bucket mostly because they are light weight easy to pick up. A large pile is hard work. A large bin is hard work too. A bucket is easy to pick up and dump in holes or around my plants. Some of those factory made bins have a door at the bottom so you can dig out the finished compost and a door at the top to put in more organic material this seems like a good idea. You may want to experement to see what you like best.
Well, I grabbed the bin and it looked like it had all the pieces there. When I brought it home, my wife nixed the idea. She doesn't want 'another thing' in the yard. 
Oh well. I guess we stick with the god-awful ugly pile-of-junk composte heap next to the garden.
So, I found a friend in the office who wants it and I gave it to him.
Oh well. I guess we stick with the god-awful ugly pile-of-junk composte heap next to the garden.
So, I found a friend in the office who wants it and I gave it to him.
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rainbowgardener
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