Composting and Their Structures

Selecting a structure for your compost pile not all that important, what is important is that you are going to be composting.

Composting has several requirements that need to be in place in order to decompose properly. The requirements are size of the compost pile, air, fragment size, dry matter, heat, green matter and moisture. To start with you need to make sure your structure will provide for the minimum compost size. A compost container structure or pile that is too small won't be able to create enough heat for the organic matter to decompose. The minimum size of you compost pile, in order for it to decompose properly, should be about seven cubic feet. Seven cubic feet is approximately 55 gallons or 208 liters.

A compost structure is not necessary for composting but it will prevent the wind and pillaging animals from carrying anything away. If you live in a rural area that is not very populated you can get by with an open compost pile. A compost structure is a necessity if you live in a high density urban area. You can purchase a structure or you can build your own. Many people will cover their compost piles with plastic in order to prevent the outer layers from drying out too much. You will need to remove the covers occasionally to add more water, plant material and to aerate the pile.

Structures built of wire can have drying problems. This all depends on how many sides are exposed and whether they are on the windward side or not. Wire mesh compost bins are generally the most versatile of compost bins. They are fairly simple to build and maintain. Your compost will be well aerated, it is easy to move, resistant to rodents, easier to manipulate the finished compost, inexpensive to build, and contact with your soil for microorganisms and earthworms.You will often have to use plastic covers or tarps with using a wire bin.

Compact plastic compost bins work well for small yards that don't have a lot of plant wastes. Some of these structures are strictly vertical where you add fresh material to the top and your finished compost is removed from a drawer at the bottom. For this particular structure you will need an aeration tool to reach inside to stir the contents on a regular basis. The plastic compost bins are available through garden centers, some garden nurseries, catalogs, and on-line. If you decide to use a metal barrel for composting, you will have to drill holes to allow air to enter. You will also have to turn the barrel on its side to roll it for mixing and aerating compost.

A tumbler compost bin is a structure that has a drum that is placed between vertical uprights and you need to manually turn the compost tumbler for mixing. They are easy to mix and turn, the compost will be well aerated, you won't have the rodents and it is very easy to move around.

Fixed compost containers are stationary, and are usually situated in a permanent location. The materials that are used for building are usually blocks, brick, wire, or wood. They will have plenty of contact with your soil for microorganisms and earthworms, and are very easy to camouflage.

The multiple compost bins work is based on moving your compost from one bin to the next. Once the first bin's compost has been filled and has decomposed, you then turn it into the second and so on to the third bin. Most of the finished compost will now be in the last bin, and you can start using it for your garden starting at the bottom of the pile. Your compost will have plenty of contact with your soil for microorganisms and earthworms, they can easily be camouflaged, easier to turn compost for aeration, and it is much easier to work with large quantities of compost.

A Freestanding compost mixer is convenient in that it is easy to build and maintain. You can add your organic material as needed. They are not expensive to build, will have plenty of contact with your soil for microorganisms and earthworms, it won't take much effort to maintain it, and you can change its location as needed. 

Barbara is testing her skills at composting and enjoying the research behind it. Many of her articles pertain to the garden and the great outdoors. Come and visit us at http://www.gardenersgardensupplies.com for more interesting ideas and ways to plant.