Comments on: How to choose a Composting Bin http://www.compostinstructions.com/how-to-choose-a-composting-bin/ A guide to making your own compost. Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:21:18 +0000 hourly 1 By: anthony http://www.compostinstructions.com/how-to-choose-a-composting-bin/comment-page-1/#comment-1473 anthony Sun, 03 Jan 2010 20:25:11 +0000 http://compostinstructions.com/?p=246#comment-1473 am debating between stationary and tumbling, we produce @40lbs of waste per month, mostly banana, fruits, veggies, eggshell and coffee grounds, what size composter would be ideal? thanks, anthony ----------- I have one of each at my house. One tumbler, and one regular bin. It sounds like you will have a lot of nitrogen rich materials, and those can really start to get slimy and clump up in a tumbler if you don't have enough carbon materials to go with it. I'd probably recommend getting a regular bin. And you can't go wrong by always getting as big as you can afford. am debating between stationary and tumbling, we produce @40lbs of waste per month, mostly banana, fruits, veggies, eggshell and coffee grounds, what size composter would be ideal?
thanks,
anthony

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I have one of each at my house. One tumbler, and one regular bin.

It sounds like you will have a lot of nitrogen rich materials, and those can really start to get slimy and clump up in a tumbler if you don’t have enough carbon materials to go with it.

I’d probably recommend getting a regular bin. And you can’t go wrong by always getting as big as you can afford.

]]> By: Home Composter http://www.compostinstructions.com/how-to-choose-a-composting-bin/comment-page-1/#comment-1413 Home Composter Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:48:15 +0000 http://compostinstructions.com/?p=246#comment-1413 I have very limited space and have about narrowed my choice of composters down to worm bins. Particularly, I'm looking at the Worm Factory or Worm Factory 360 because they are 16" square and less than 2-feet tall. Initially, I thought the Envirocycle Compost Tumbler might work, but it sounds like I would need two of them to continuously compost. It would take awhile to fill one up and then I would have to wait until everything had turned to compost before adding more stuff... is that right? ------------- As far as the Envirocycle goes, not exactly. With a Tumbler, you can keep adding and adding. When it starts to get full, you can dump it out and run it through a compost screen and throw the few unfinished remains back into the bin to keep going. Or, you can just stop adding for the last week or two. Most of the contents will be finished already, and only the last stuff that you added will still be breaking down if you are continuously composting. And yes, you can always batch compost with a tumbler, in general. But that's not what you are trying to accomplish here. We have one vermicomposting unit going here where I work, but it doesn't accept much waste because the worms can't break it down very quickly. We're talking less than a pound per week of waste. So it's unlikely that a single worm bin will be able to keep up with all of your materials. Either of those worm bins you mention are pretty good. I also like the Can O Worms. I saw from your site that you were also considering the NatureMill automatic composter. Those do okay too, although they are expensive. I have very limited space and have about narrowed my choice of composters down to worm bins. Particularly, I’m looking at the Worm Factory or Worm Factory 360 because they are 16″ square and less than 2-feet tall. Initially, I thought the Envirocycle Compost Tumbler might work, but it sounds like I would need two of them to continuously compost. It would take awhile to fill one up and then I would have to wait until everything had turned to compost before adding more stuff… is that right?

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As far as the Envirocycle goes, not exactly. With a Tumbler, you can keep adding and adding. When it starts to get full, you can dump it out and run it through a compost screen and throw the few unfinished remains back into the bin to keep going.

Or, you can just stop adding for the last week or two. Most of the contents will be finished already, and only the last stuff that you added will still be breaking down if you are continuously composting.

And yes, you can always batch compost with a tumbler, in general. But that’s not what you are trying to accomplish here.

We have one vermicomposting unit going here where I work, but it doesn’t accept much waste because the worms can’t break it down very quickly. We’re talking less than a pound per week of waste. So it’s unlikely that a single worm bin will be able to keep up with all of your materials.

Either of those worm bins you mention are pretty good. I also like the Can O Worms.

I saw from your site that you were also considering the NatureMill automatic composter. Those do okay too, although they are expensive.

]]> By: supercomposter http://www.compostinstructions.com/how-to-choose-a-composting-bin/comment-page-1/#comment-965 supercomposter Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:45:51 +0000 http://compostinstructions.com/?p=246#comment-965 Trash cans are not very sturdy, so I don't know if you could roll one around successfully. You can compost in a trash can, as long as there are holes for drainage and airflow. Trash cans are not very sturdy, so I don’t know if you could roll one around successfully. You can compost in a trash can, as long as there are holes for drainage and airflow.

]]> By: Molly http://www.compostinstructions.com/how-to-choose-a-composting-bin/comment-page-1/#comment-916 Molly Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:33:38 +0000 http://compostinstructions.com/?p=246#comment-916 I am new to composting and was thinking that for the beginning trial stage I would buy a plastic round trashcan, cut small squares on the sides and cover the holes with screen for ventilation. I am thinking that I can turn the can on it's side and roll it every day. Would this work? Thanks. I am new to composting and was thinking that for the beginning trial stage I would buy a plastic round trashcan, cut small squares on the sides and cover the holes with screen for ventilation. I am thinking that I can turn the can on it’s side and roll it every day. Would this work? Thanks.

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