The Best Tips from Olle Garden Bed 4 Places for Compost Bin

So you want to start a compost bin, but you may not be sure where to start, and most importantly, where to place it. Composting is a good way to help not only the garden soil, but also the environment. Gardeners and environmentalists make their own compost for a variety of reasons. Composting your food residues not only significantly reduces the amount of waste that eventually enters the landfill, but also can be used to enrich the garden soil in the backyard. The following content also has some reference value for raised garden beds.

raised garden beds

There are a few things to keep in mind when deciding the location of the compost bin. Accessibility is usually the most important, but sometimes factors such as smell and unpleasant animals are also decisive. In this guide, learn about the types of compost and all the locations where compost bins can be easily stored.

Hot Composting and Cold Composting

Before deciding the location of the compost bin, you need to understand two basic types of compost. The most popular is thermal composting, often called active composting, which uses heat to decompose materials. Another way is, you guessed right, cold composting, which is a more gentle process.

Hot composting is more compact and faster because it produces compost in just one to four months. This type is considered more automatic, but you must mix and turn the compost material at least once a week. It also requires you to manage the ratios in the compost heap. For hot composting, you need two to three times the normal amount of brown material.

Cold composting or passive composting is a longer process that slowly decomposes food and garden debris. With cold composting, this process may take one to two years and requires minimal effort. You just need to continue adding to the compost pile, and Mother Nature will take over. Over time, organic materials begin to decompose and become rich compost.

Once you decide which composting method you prefer, you can determine where to start composting. Here are four suggestions for placing compost bins around your home.

  1. Backyard garden

A common location for compost bins or compost is the backyard garden. For backyard composting, you can create a compost or use an open compost bin in a designated area of the garden. The open trash can is very suitable for placing waste materials in the backyard, especially the plants and decorations in the garden.

If you have a large garden, choose a shady area that receives part of the sun and build a compost bin with wooden pallets or wire mesh. This type of trash can is very suitable for hot composting or cold composting, so please decide according to the speed of composting you plan to use.

It is important to note that this type of compost bin is not animal protected, so be careful when throwing food residues. The dustbin makes the animal's work a little difficult, but it can never be guaranteed.

  1. Outdoor garage

You can also store the compost bin in an outdoor garage. This location is most suitable for smaller compost piles, mainly food residues, because it can keep animals away. Store a small dustbin in the garage for daily use. When it is full, just pour it into a larger outdoor pile.

When storing compost bins in the garage, select cold compost piles. However, you can have a hot compost heap as long as it is properly ventilated. When using closed bins, it is important that there is still air flow to allow the compost to decompose correctly. You can do this by creating holes in the sides of the box. These holes should be fairly small, so that it won't attract any unwanted pests, such as rodents, into your garage.

Compost cups are another good choice for garages because they are more compact, can be easily stored in a smaller space, and also contain smells.

  1. Under the kitchen skin

Another place where smaller bins can be considered is under the kitchen sink for indoor composting. The compost bin can be hidden under the sink while still being convenient. Having an indoor compost bin can also significantly reduce your overall household waste, thereby reducing the number of times you have to empty the trash can!

This type of compost is most suitable for those who have green trash collection services in their cities, or those who have large compost piles outdoors and plan to transfer them regularly. When storing garbage cans indoors, always use sealed containers with lids to reduce odor.

raised garden bed

  1. Terrace or balcony

Placing the compost bin on the terrace or balcony space is another ideal location. Most people prefer to place the compost bin in such a place that it is easy to throw debris in their daily work.

This location is suitable for hot and cold composting, just try to place the trash can in an area partially exposed to sunlight rather than direct sunlight. You can also make your own indoor compost bin and dump it into a larger bin on the terrace every few days to make things easier.

Professional tips: create a roadblock for your outdoor compost bin to prevent pests. You can do this by using shredded chicken or placing heavy objects on top of the bin.

Compost!

Composting is an interesting and simple way to reduce overall waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Prevent food and garden debris from finally entering the landfill, and start your own compost pile today! Your plants will thank you!