Reddit mentions: The best outdoor composting & yard bins

I think this depends on how committed you are and by that I mean how much you're willing to invest. I'm a big fan of John at Growing Your Greens. I am new to composting and did quite a bit of research before discovering that my HOA forbids the use of composters. I'm on the fence about whether I'll get one anyway or not but based on John's reviews of the various types I would have or will purchase a Joraform. It's pricey to start (Note: I've seen it at $299 on Amazon, it seems to be higher right now so you can keep an eye on it if you're interested) but he does a follow up review here and has actually purchased a second, larger one because it works so well and so quickly. He says it turns out high grade usable compost in about 4-6 weeks. That seems much faster than any of the other ones I've read about. I've also read that the insulation keeps the pile hot enough that it works during snowy winters as well if your area experiences that type of climate. John puts the Lifetime tumbler in second place and I've seen the dual 50 gallon model at Costco for $150 which is pretty good as well.

The bonus of the tumblers, as he mentions, is that they're raised and sealed so rodents can't get to your pile. With the Joraform the holes are relatively small, I believe, so it keeps the insects you get to a minimum as well. Being able to tumble your compost has the advantage of making it easier to turn so you can keep the pile processing more easily and preventing it from creating odors. They're long but I highly suggest watching John's videos as they give a pretty good run down of the various types and the pros and cons of each.

Thanks, Steamboat. Nice looking fish shown below. I wish I could get the girls a 40-gallon but unless a good-hearted woman shows up, boat picture in hand, and adopts all three of us, they're going to stay in their 29-gallon. So I want them to be healthy and big enough for all their innards, but not giants who won't fit in the tank. I guess I'm saying I druther they didn't get much over eight inches.

By the way, thanks for the Fluker Farms recommendation. Ordered 250 large BSF larvae. Helpful lady on the phone thought they'd be happy in the worm condo penthouse.

I think you're set on supplies. I never used the coir. I just added shredded newspaper and the stuff the worms were shipped in.

Small chunks are fine. I'll give them larger chunks and they handle them. They really don't eat much. Consult on-line, but I think you feed a lb of worms only a half a lb of food a day. I NEVER have them eat that much. I usually have far more scraps than the worms can eat. You can freeze the scraps and when thawed, they're soft and easier for them to consume. Blending is fine, but not necessary. Really, just putting the entire peel and cores is fine.

I feed the worms on one side of the bin for a few days so I can harvest the opposite side. Not all of them will move, so I pick out the worms and put them back into the bin. They aren't all that bothered.

I think those worm contraptions are more efficient at separating worms, but I've never owned one. I have a small rubbermaid tote with holes.

Starting the bin is kind of tricky because it needs to have the right moisture level. I wouldn't buy a meter. Instead, I'd save it and spend money on a worm house later. Visually inspecting the bin is really all you need to monitor moisture. Also note that some veggie/fruit scraps can quickly add moisture to the bin. They love watermelon rind, but it will add a lot of moisture so use sparingly unless the bin is too dry.

They may try to climb out when the bin isn't the right moisture level, temperature or when the bin is new. Don't fret.

I am not a definitive expert but, Black plastic should help. A shovel full of dirt/finished compost can replace the accelerator... get a worm farm and all your issues will be solved.
http://amzn.com/B000S6LZBO
this is a 3 level one for a reasonable price. If you have to shell out anyway this is a better choice for you.you can add to the upper layers as the worms do their magic and free worm castings year round. even with the worms it won't cost more than a enclosed com-poster and will do a much better job. If you find it isn't big enough you can just add levels.
You may need to keep the com-poster in a garage if it gets too cold in the winter but otherwise verma-composting is the way to go for you .

You might have already seen it, but this seemed like a good write-up with advice too.

Good luck!

Also, PS, I saw someone say something about everyone and their brother needing dumpsters and there not being enough of them. Perhaps a bagster would be a good temporary measure? Even if your local waste management company wouldn't normally take them, I'd think they would make exceptions given the situation.

The compost bin I purchased came with a Wing Digger. I didn't expect it to work well, but I have been pleasantly surprised. It works well enough for turning my pile, which consists almost entirely of coffee grounds and shredded paper and leaves. Using this, I never have to use a pitchfork or dump out the compost and pile it back in.

If I were to get a new one, I would consider getting one with two pairs of wings and an extra hand hold. It looks a little sturdier, and should turn the compost at least twice as much.

Meh... if I save you guys some money by pointing it out, then it's not a total waste. For anyone reading this, don't get one of these (or one similar to it):

http://www.amazon.com/Suncast-TCB6800-Cubic-Tumbling-Composter/dp/B002Z8DX1S/ (same model I have)

Get something like this instead (or better yet make one):

http://www.amazon.com/Bosmere-K765-Wire-Compost-Bin/dp/B0017XY3HK

You can do either - or none. Easiest to maintain is to find an empty corner of your yard and just pile it up, or you can bag it like I mentioned, or even easier, get a bin on Amazon or make one. Here’s an example.

MTB Garden Wire Compost Bin 30x30x24 inches, Black, Garden Bed Fencing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071P2G57M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_EGTSDbDZR73KP

By the time spring comes along, you’ll have some of the most amazing soil / fertilizer that you could imagine.

Compost Bin by GEOBIN https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010V673AC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_c6YSDb03DWX0M

This is a very easy and inexpensive solution. I have this one, it took me 5 minutes to set up.

As for browns, easiest thing would be to shred up some newspaper and mix it in with the grass clippings. That combo will break down very quickly.

Mother's Day is coming up, so this is timely too!

My top wish list item: Fiskars stand-up weeder.

My favorite buy so far: Worm bins, for worm poo, aka gardener's black gold.

Good on you for wanting to vermicompost as soon as possible!

My sis used a DIY Rubbermaid bin for several years. She generally treated it in two zones, left and right. She'd put down kitchen waste in the left side, and the worms would sort of migrate there. For the next trip, she'd put it down on the right side.

Her most frequent complaint is that the worms wouldn't leave the old zone for the new zone. (I find this true with our vertical bin also, to a certain degree: worms will migrate up to the fresh food, but many will remain on the lower levels until the food is completely consumed.)

We live in an apartment, and use this worm bin in our utility room.

Rats are a whole different issue. They're devious, capable, and smart, though I'm not sure that shredded compost would be their first pick for food. You could make vertical "stilts" to hold your bin, or you could suspend it from the ceiling. Rats are smart as hell though, and will likely figure out how to bypass any protective measures you put into place. Deal with them, and vermicomposting will be easy. If you're in an apartment, the landlord should provide pest control services.

Also, if you have a blender, consider getting one or two big, regular (not wide-mouth) mason jars. We generally have 2 on the countertop. Edible/tasty kitchen trimmings (ends of onions, celery greens, ugly but non-rotten bits of carrots, bell pepper piths, meat trimmings) go into a freezer bag for making broth later. Inedible stuff (used coffee filters, tough asparagus bits, wilted flowers, pinched-off ends from growing plants, that bit of the carrot that includes the remains of the green part) goes into a Mason jar as future worm food.

The recommended ratio of brown matter to green matter is 60% (brown) to 40% (green.) It's often a challenge getting more brown matter than green, since most kitchen waste is green. We have a paper shredder (crosscut shredder, $7 from Goodwill thrift store) and I bought a big brick of coconut coir from Amazon. Peat pots whose seeds don't germinate also go to the worms.

Good luck!

I got one like this a few years ago. Doesn't smell at all. Just don't put any animal bones/meat/oils and you should be fine. Has never smelled bad or had any unusual odors ever.

Tumbler is fine too. I prefer the one that sits on the ground though because worms find their way in it when it's not too hot.

https://amazon.com/gp/product/B003HOR8BK

Cool. You should start a worm compost bin. You can use the worm castings in your other plantings, and your fish will love an occasional treat of worms. I use a 3-tray system like this, but you can get started by drilling some holes in the bottom of a plastic storage bin. Use red wiggler worms (tiger worms), not earthworms.

Then try getting one of these! They're great and you can set it up somewhere closed off in your kitchen & add scraps whenever.

I've had my eye on one of these for a while. Haven't used it yet but looks pretty slick.

Absolutely worth it. But you want to get the 2-handed version instead, with which it will be easier to turn over instead. https://www.amazon.com/LoTech-Compost-Crank-Aerator/dp/B00JHRH7EE/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=Lotech+Products+LLC&qid=1569382741&s=gateway&sr=8-6

I bought the Yimby compost bin two years ago and a Jora Compost bin last year. IMHO the Yimby is junk - it is too small to heat up and compost. The Jora, being insulated does very well and can create compost in a month if I add lots of greens. That being said, if I bought another it would be a Geobin.

I’ve just received my order of the DE. Was curious if you could recommend how to use it? Where to apply and what amount. We have a 360 worm factory: https://www.amazon.com/Worm-Factory-WF360B-Composter-Black/dp/B002LH47PY

I've never done a traditional hot compost pile or ever used a tumbler, so take this with a grain of salt. I've read a lot of tumbler reviews and watched a bunch of videos and you really need to manage the ratio of browns and greens with the moisture very carefully to make compost that quickly. If you decide to get a tumbler, this is supposedly the Cadillac of tumblers:


https://www.joracomposters.com/


If you want to go with a pile, this is supposed to be useful:


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085O6NXQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9478BbSCN49S7


John Kohler has a lot to say about this topic, so if you've never seen his review on tumblers, it's worth a watch, albeit long:


https://youtu.be/PWrxXkE_s3M



This is a video on the geobin:


https://youtu.be/LQKHJaiLsvg


If you're planning on composting every single thing, this won't work, but I have a worm factory and it's been great for the time I've had it (like 6ish years). It's small and if you shred paper or single ply cardboard, it works well for bedding, which is more stuff not being thrown away. You can also add additional trays so you have more capacity. After the initial setup and wait for the first 6 months, if you regularly add food into it, you can harvest the compost every month (quicker if you're good about managing ratios and have a good worm population).


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002UO6LXE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Qa88BbNMCSA0M


Unfortunately all my worms died recently due to my neglect, so I have to get more 😕

Mostly vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells. I also will throw in lawn scraps on occasion. I have a small 1 gallon container (available at any kitchen store) by my recycle bin outside my back door where compost goes from the kitchen. Once a week or so, I will run that compost bin to my back yard where I have this compost bin.

https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Composter-Assembly-Envirocycle-Composting/dp/B0121G9ZJW/ref=sr_1_12?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1502212822&sr=1-12&keywords=compost+bin

I give that two full turns each week. I am starting to get a good deal of compost which I'm starting to work into my garden.

https://www.amazon.com/Large-Composting-Tumbler-Rotating-Composter/dp/B07XDF2PGV/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=58678071320&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoKzsBRC5ARIsAITcwXFwJLhp_rSnQDwI72oFoOdI1dr7t87y8UVmC15eBDDrRZq1NCiY0ZcaAvpoEALw_wcB&hvadid=274811034632&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9013118&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1834228954907132894&hvtargid=kwd-301078584894&hydadcr=14887_10218909&keywords=composters+tumblers&qid=1569419753&s=home-garden&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE4NUdITUVENjlUQzAmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA4NzM5MDk0TkxJV01MMDFDMFEmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDk3NDY5NzIxR1RLN1EyMFZFWVcmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
Something like this?

Not a cooking tip, but I recently got a worm composter which can be used indoors (no smell as long as you don't put dairy or meat in it) and makes short work of peels and other kitchen scraps. Decently stylish for a composter, too. Looks sorta like an Ikea stool.

Maybe it's for compost? Like one of these

Get the standup funnel things, holds the bags open and acts as a funnel. You can pick them up at most hardware stores.

A bit expensive for what it is, but it's worth it imo.

https://www.amazon.com/Luster-Leaf-A650-Lawn-Chute/dp/B01B7OUN9A/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=lawn+chute&qid=1568172618&s=gateway&sprefix=lawn+chut&sr=8-3

I am not sure how cost effective this would be, compared to your per bag option. I have considered using these before.

Bagster 3CUYD Dumpster in a Bag https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002U0KC2E/

I have one of these, they work great!

Seen a few neighbors use these https://www.amazon.com/BAGSTER-3CUYD-Bagster-Dumpster-Bag/dp/B002U0KC2E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1272507252&sr=1-1

it's a worm farm for composting.
here's something similar

Trying out worm composting.

Did you put any dead leaves or other brown materials in your compost bin? If you only use green (wet, high-nitrogen) materials in your compost bin, and no browns (dry, high-carbon), you'll get a slimy, stinky mess. The suggested ratio is about 20-30:1 brown to green. although I've seen people using ratios as low as 4:1 on the interwebs.

I think the general consensus is that worm bins are the better choice for kitchen scraps.

WF360 = Worm Factory 360?

It is supossed to be 17.9 x 17.9 x 14.9 inches, right?

this is around 0.2 m^2 = 1 kg worms (5 kg/m^2)

Just get a regular bin 28.75 x 16 x 18.25 inches = 0.292 m^2

1.5 kg of worms

you can have a worm density anywhere from 2.5 to 10 kg/m^2, 5 is a good number.

If you are worried about winter, check this out.

Manual of On-Farm Vermicomposting and
Vermiculture

By Glenn Munroe
Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada

They talk a lot about harsh winters.

TLDR: worms will survive below zero temperatures, they will eat less, they wont reproduce as often.

Worms can be productive if you load them with food and plenty of space to move around and avoid dangerous areas.

Even if the walls froze they will be alright.

You can always insulate the bin with styrofoam on the outside.

>• Low temperatures. Eisenia can survive in temperatures as low as 0 o C, but
they don’t reproduce at single-digit temperatures and they don’t consume as
much food. It is generally considered necessary to keep the temperatures above
10 o C (minimum) and preferably 15 o C for vermicomposting efficiency and above
15 o C (minimum) and preferably 20 o C for productive vermiculture operations.

>• Effects of freezing. Eisenia can survive having their bodies partially encased in
frozen bedding and will only die when they are no longer able to consume
food 8 . Moreover, tests at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC) have
confirmed that their cocoons survive extended periods of deep freezing and
remain viable (GEORG, 2004).

>• High temperatures. Compost worms can survive temperatures in the mid-30s
but prefer a range in the 20s ( o C). Above 35 o C will cause the worms to leave the
area. If they cannot leave, they will quickly die. In general, warmer
temperatures (above 20 o C) stimulate reproduction.

>• Worms’s response to temperature differentials. Compost worms will
redistribute themselves within piles, beds or windrows according to temperature
gradients. In outdoor composting windrows in wintertime, where internal heat
from decomposition is in contrast to frigid external temperatures, the worms will
be found in a relatively narrow band at a depth where the temperature is close
to optimum. They will also be found in much greater numbers on the south-
facing side of windrows in the winter and on the opposite side in the summer.

>Although composting worms O 2 requirements are essential, however, they are also
relatively modest. Worms survive harsh winters inside windrows where all surfaces are
frozen: they live on the oxygen available in the water trapped inside the windrow.