My compost bin is in full sun..is that a problem?

Carmen · Tue Aug 31, 2010 10:07 pm

I just got done building my first compost bins out of FREE pallets! But of course it's all put together and then I read it should be in a shady spot! Ours is in full sun, and of course I don't want to move it now, not to mention it's in a very convenient place. Can I just put a tarp over it or something? Or is it really a big deal having it in sun?

cynthia_h · Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:44 am

A tarp sounds excellent. If you don't have to worry about "creatures" getting into the compost, the tarp will be sufficient.

Don't forget to keep the compost pile damp. They can dry out if it doesn't rain enough or if the tarp keeps the rain off.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

greenstubbs · Fri Sep 10, 2010 1:05 pm

Leave it in the sun as it will help cook it. I wouldn't even worry about a tarp unless your going to get a Noah's arc type rain and even then you can turn it every few days to help it dry out afterwards.

engineeredgarden · Fri Sep 10, 2010 5:37 pm

It's recommended that the pile be located in the shade, however - mine gets about 3 hours of evening sun each day. I wouldn't worry about it if I were you....

EG

rainbowgardener · Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:22 pm

I think full sun will be fine, but as noted you will likely have to water it more. If your pile dries out, it stops working. Mine is in a shady spot, but even so since we have had essentially no rain since end of June, I've been watering my compost pile every time I water the garden. It takes a fair amount of time standing there putting water on it for the water to be able to percolate into the interior.

greenstubbs · Sat Sep 11, 2010 4:43 pm

rainbowgardener wrote:I think full sun will be fine, but as noted you will likely have to water it more. If your pile dries out, it stops working. Mine is in a shady spot, but even so since we have had essentially no rain since end of June, I've been watering my compost pile every time I water the garden. It takes a fair amount of time standing there putting water on it for the water to be able to percolate into the interior.

Being in Ca. the last time it rained was April, and when it get's hot, it's HOT! Being in S.C. you really won't have that much of a problem with H2O. I turn mine about every 2 weeks and right afterwards give it a healthy drink til it runs out the bottom and let it cook for 2 more weeks and repeat. I mostly make mine out of grass clippings and vary when I turn it with when I cut the lawn. Whatever, composting is a pretty much a no brainer activity, just throw the stuff in there and let nature do it's thing.

rainbowgardener · Sun Sep 12, 2010 10:27 pm

Nature will take its course, no matter what. It just depends on how fast you want something to happen. If the pile dries out, it will STOP and just sit there until the next time it gets moistened. Since we haven't had enough rain to moisten it since June, it would have done nothing since then, if I weren't watering it. I'm not that patient....