Caring For Your Compost Bin
The compost bin is not only good for your garden it is good for our environment too because compost breaks down waste materials from the garden and your kitchen and turns it into dark, rich, matter that nourishes your garden. The nutrients in compost are natural fertilizer for a healthy garden.
A bin will make your compost area neater and will aid in a faster decomposition of material.
Compost bins only have 3 sides with one open for easy access or 4 sides with an opening on a fourth side. Bins should be at least 3 cubic feet in size. You may have more than one Compost bin going at a time (one to use and one to make).
Bins are usually made of cement, wood, plastic, wire fencing, or brick. They should not be made of chemically treated wood because there may be toxins in the wood that can destroy your microorganisms that are needed for decomposition.
You should locate your compost bin in an out-of-the-way location hidden from view of your garden visitors. Some gardeners put up a fence or shrubs to hide the bin. A bin is better to be place in a shady location so that it does not dry out.
Materials to use in your compost bin:
Scraps from your kitchen, garden or lawn including left over vegetables and fruits, eggshells, nutshells, coffee grounds, tea bags and tealeaves all make good compost materials. Do not put animal scraps such as meat trimmings or bones into your compost bin. Leaves and grass clippings and garden debris such as deadheaded flowers are all good compost materials.
A good rule of thumb is two parts dry to one part wet ingredients for speediest decomposition. Wet ingredients are vegetable and fruit leftovers and fresh grass trimmings. Dry ingredients are leaves and pine needles.
Chopped or shredded ingredients decompose faster.
Caring for your compost bin should not take a lot of time. If you just keep your compost bin in mind when you prepare a meal, finish eating a meal, or work in your garden; use any of the above listed items to add to your compost bin.
Return to this blog often for new blog entries on the topic of garden maintenance.
A bin will make your compost area neater and will aid in a faster decomposition of material.
Compost bins only have 3 sides with one open for easy access or 4 sides with an opening on a fourth side. Bins should be at least 3 cubic feet in size. You may have more than one Compost bin going at a time (one to use and one to make).
Bins are usually made of cement, wood, plastic, wire fencing, or brick. They should not be made of chemically treated wood because there may be toxins in the wood that can destroy your microorganisms that are needed for decomposition.
You should locate your compost bin in an out-of-the-way location hidden from view of your garden visitors. Some gardeners put up a fence or shrubs to hide the bin. A bin is better to be place in a shady location so that it does not dry out.
Materials to use in your compost bin:
Scraps from your kitchen, garden or lawn including left over vegetables and fruits, eggshells, nutshells, coffee grounds, tea bags and tealeaves all make good compost materials. Do not put animal scraps such as meat trimmings or bones into your compost bin. Leaves and grass clippings and garden debris such as deadheaded flowers are all good compost materials.
A good rule of thumb is two parts dry to one part wet ingredients for speediest decomposition. Wet ingredients are vegetable and fruit leftovers and fresh grass trimmings. Dry ingredients are leaves and pine needles.
Chopped or shredded ingredients decompose faster.
Caring for your compost bin should not take a lot of time. If you just keep your compost bin in mind when you prepare a meal, finish eating a meal, or work in your garden; use any of the above listed items to add to your compost bin.
Return to this blog often for new blog entries on the topic of garden maintenance.
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