Download: How To Turn Compost In A Plastic Bin
In this article, you are going to learn how to turn the compost into a plastic bin.
Why do you need to compost in the first place? There are many reasons to turn a Compostbin from time to time and the reasons include:
1. Turning a compost can help increase the movement of air in and out of the compost. This air or oxygen is required by microorganisms, which help in decomposing process. And therefore increasing the amount of air in the compost will help fasten the decomposing process.
2. Additionally, turning the compost also help increase the heat in the plastic bin, which on the other hand fasten or reduce the time of the composting process.
3. Another benefit of turning your compost is that turning helps you produce compost that is evenly composted. This is because not all the garden and kitchen waste is added into the plastic bin at the same time. And so by turning the compost, you are also pushing those newly added scraps to the bottom of the compost where the heat is reasonably high.
4. Additionally, compost is made up of two main types of organic matter. These organic matters are brown and green organic matters. The green organic matters are wetter while the brown organic matters are dry. And so when you allow one type of organic matter to be concentrated in one spot, your Compost may smell bad due to too much moisture and nitrogen or become too dry due to too much accumulation of brown matters at one spot. This uneven distribution of brown and green organic matter can affect the quality of your compost greatly.
Recommended: Looking for the best compost aerators? Read our guide on how to choose the best compost aerator
Learn about the effects of turning a compost from this study
So, it is good to turn a compost timely. However, turning the compost is not necessary especially if you are composting in a closed container like plastic dustbin with lid.
Even without allocating your time to turn the compost, it will still compost but it can take time and sometimes the Compost maybe completed with one part of the compost finished and the other part still composting or uncompleted.
Turning the compost in a plastic bin is straightforward, the only thing that is required is to reserve at least two days in a week out of your daily schedules.
Here is a step by step guide on how to do it:
How to Turn Compost in a Plastic Bin
What you need:
- Garden fork or rake
- Watering can with fine nozzles
- Water
- Facemask
- Hand gloves
Prepare yourself ready for the exercise by putting on a hand glove and facemask. Then, go to the plastic bin and open it. Use your garden fork or rake to turn. It is preferable to use the garden fork because it is more convenient to do with garden fork than with garden rake.
Insert the garden fork into the plastic bin and turn the compost from the bottom to the top ensuring that the recently and freshly added kitchen and garden waste are turned to the bottom of the plastic bin while the Compost that is about to compost or start decomposing is turned up to the top. This helps provide room for the new fresh added scraps to also get available heat and oxygen.
The number of days in a week to be allocated for this turning is at least two times a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of your frequently asked questions about composting and turning compost in a plastic bin.
How to Compost in a Bin
Composting is also straightforward, just gather your garden waste and kitchen waste in a separate container. Ensure that you know what is and what is not supposed to be added to compost.
When you finish gathering the waste in a day, take the waste to the compost bin and put them inside. Cover the compost bin with a lid. Then, the following day repeat the same thing until all the space within the compost bin is filled up with composting materials.
Tip: this is just a brief description and explanation of how to compost in a bin. There are some best practices and key points that you need to know about composting. You can refer yourself here to read our in-depth article about composting. Almost everything you want to know about composting is explained in a step by step guide.
How to Make a Compost Bed
Here is a step by step guide on how to make a compost bed:
1. Choose a location for your compost bed
2. Build a compost pile or bin or any enclosure as an open heap
3. Build a layer of tree branches and dried leaves on the bottom of the bin or pile
4. Add the kitchen and garden waste in alternate layers of brown and green organic matters
5. Turn your compost timely
6. When the compost bed is filled up, stop adding the composting materials and start a new compost bed
Learn more on how to make a compost bin from kitchen waste and other household scraps.
Does Compost Bin need a Lid?
Leaving your compost uncovered may delay your compost from finishing on time. This is because for a compost to be fully decomposed the compost requires heat or temperature, which may not be obtained when the compost is left uncovered.
Covering your compost with a lid helps generate heat within the compost, which on the other hand quickens the composting process.
What are Rubbermaid Compost Bin Instructions?
Here is a step by step instructions about the Rubbermaid compost bin:
- Find a good Rubbermaid bin and drill 10-15 fine holes on the sides, top of the lid, and bottom.
- Place the Rubbermaid on a good spot where it will receive a reasonable amount of sunlight
- Add your composting materials in alternate layers of brown and green organic matters
- Cover the compost and give it a time usually 2-3 months or above
- Be turning the compost from time to time
- Harvest your Rubbermaid compost bin when fully composted
Related: How To Make Compost bin From A Plastic Dustbin
Conclusion
We looked at how to turn a compost plus ways to compost garden and kitchen scraps in a Rubbermaid bin, compost bin, and plastic dustbin.
We hope that the article was helpful. We would love to hear from you. So, do write to us in the comments section below.
Reference
- The effects of compost bin design on design preference, waste collection performance, and waste segregation behaviors for public participation
- Household organic waste composting using bins with different types of passive aeration
