Use multiple bin composting for better compost!
It doesn’t take a gardener long to realize the value of gardening with compost. In fact, gardeners call it black gold for a good reason. Compost is decomposed plant matter that offers valuable nutrients to your plants. You can buy compost, but composting is worth learning as it’s important to build up your garden soil. Because we garden with clay soil, building a good compost system is important to add organic matter, drainage and nutrients.
A multiple compost bin set up is beneficial for increasing the amount of compost you can create.
This post will cover:
- How to compost infographic for beginners
- Why using multiple bins is beneficial
- Free printable for keeping track of your compost piles
For beginners learning how to compost, here’s a super easy composting infographic from Fix.
A visual helps a lot for what you can put in your compost pile. 🙂
Source: Fix.com Blog
Why is a Two or Three Composting Bin Beneficial?
Having more than one composting bin gives you multiple locations to add your greens and browns. Compost can take a many months to decompose before you add it into your garden.
By using multiple bins, one compost pile will be ready for your garden, the other you can add new fresh scraps into.
This is especially important when you’re adding animal manure as it takes a long time to decompose before it’s safe. One way to keep track of your compost bins is by writing down the dates when you added the fresh manure.
It’s also important to turn your compost pile frequently.
That increases aeration and decomposition. If you have chickens, they can do this for you, however that ends up being pretty messy (ask me how I know).
By using multiple bins that are covered, you have more control over your bins.
You can build multiple compost bins with wooden slats so that you can remove them and access the compost easier. I’ve seen many people build composting bins using re-purposed wooden pallets (make sure they’re stamped HT not MB so they’re heat treated & safe to use).
We’ve also used wooden pallets for potato boxes that were not being used for composting!
Lift-up lids with a fly screen on top reduces the amount of flies.
Add scraps into your ‘active’ compost pile, meaning the one you’re still building.
Leave another bin to decompose, tossing the compost frequently.
Here’s your FREE Compost Bin Printable
DOWNLOAD THE PDF FREE PRINTABLE
My Compost Bin Tracker
Get it here
Hi,
Do you have a print out of how you built the compost bin/container?
I don’t at the moment Amy, but I’ll go back and sort through photos and see if I can make it a future blog post 🙂