It is a good idea to place your compost bin in a sunny spot. It is very easy for beneficial microbes and insects to gain access to the rotting material if you place your bin on the soil. It allows for better aeration and drainage, both of which are important for the health of your plants.
If you have a large compost pile, you may want to place it on a flat surface. This will allow you to spread the compost evenly over the surface of the pile.
If you don’t have enough space to do this, then you can use a piece of cardboard or a plastic bag to cover the area you plan on composting.
You can also place the bin directly on the ground, but this is not recommended as it will make it more difficult to aerate the soil and will increase the chance of mold growth.
Table of Contents
Should a compost bin be in sun or shade?
If you want to speed up the composting process, put your compost pile in the sun. The sun increases the temperature and thebacteria and fungi work faster. Your pile will dry out more quickly because of this. If you want to compost your own food scraps, you’ll need a compost bin.
You can buy one at your local grocery store, or you can make one yourself. If you don’t have access to a bin, there are a number of other ways to get started.
What do I put at the bottom of my compost bin?
Vegetables, fruit, and kitchen scraps are greens. Corn cobs and husks, sticks, thick stalks from vegetables and tall flowers are coarse material that almost everyone advises putting down. This layer helps keep the soil moist and improves aeration at the bottom of the pot. If you don’t have the time or inclination to do this, you can use a garden trowel to scrape off the top layer.
You can also use your hands, but be careful not to scratch the roots of your plants. If you have a large pot, it’s a good idea to put a few inches of soil in the middle of it to help keep it from drying out too much.
Can I leave my compost bin outside?
It’s perfectly okay to let the pile remain uncovered if you’re building your first compost pile. It might take months to get a finished product, but you will learn and improve your composting skills in the process.
How often should I turn my compost bin?
Compost will be produced more quickly if you turn more frequently. The center of the pile should be waiting at least two weeks to warm up. The pile is turned every 3-6 days by the average composter. It depends on the size of your pile and the type of compost you are composting.
If you have a large pile, you can turn it in as little as a week. For smaller piles, it can take up to a month or more. Composting is a slow process, so don’t expect it to be done in a day or two.
How big should my compost bin be?
A compost bin should hold twice as much compost as you want. Extra space is available for material that will break down over time. If you have a lot of material, you may want to put more in the bin than you need.
You can do this by adding more material to the compost pile, or you can add more compost to a bin that is already full. It’s up to you to decide what works best for you.
Should I line my compost bin with plastic?
Plastic linings will help prevent decay, but chemicals from the plastic may end up in your compost and the plastic itself will start to decay eventually, according to the EPA.
If you have a compost pile that has been sitting in the sun for a long time, you may want to consider adding a plastic liner to it to help keep it from getting too hot. If you don’t have any plastic liners on hand, try using a piece of cardboard to cover the bottom of the pile.
This will keep the heat from reaching the compost.
