Types of Composting Bins

The soil is an essential part of any garden, and composting is a wonderful way for gardeners to help enrich their garden soil. There are several methods for composting, and the type of bin that should be chosen depends on many factors, including personal preference. The essential components of a composting bin are that it be designed to keep the environment inside warm and moist. That's the perfect environment for decomposition.

Stand-up Plastic Bin Composters

The most common composting bin is the large, stand-up plastic bin. This can be designed in many ways, but it is a large plastic container that is vented either through holes along the sides or vents specifically placed. Many times, these vents are adjustable to allow for more or less air to circulate as needed. Many large bins of this type are made with bottom doors, slides or traps that allow the user to remove composted materials from the bottom, while adding new materials to the top. The materials inside this type of compost bin must be turned or mixed by hand.

Compost Tumbler

A compost tumbler is a large container that is set onto a stand and pivots on an axis so that the compost can be tumbled instead of mixing by hand. This is a more convenient way to mix the compost and is becoming a popular method. The drawback with this kind of composter is that it requires waiting for the mature compost to finish before adding more uncomposted materials. Some people use more than one of these composters at a time, one for the maturing compost and the second to fill while they are waiting.

Rotating Orb Composter (Rolling Composter)

A rotating orb or rolling composter is a round compost bin that can be rotated on a stand or rolled in the yard to mix the compost. This can also be a cylindrical shape that is rolled on the ground, and many have been made using sealed 55-gallon drums. This has the same benefits and drawbacks as described above for the tumbling composter in that once the materials are placed in the bin, mature compost should be finished before adding more. On the plus side, tumblers and rotaters are the fastest ways to compost.

Wooden Composter

Wooden composters are open air "pens" for compost. Old pallets are often used to simply make an aerated box in which to store materials. Organic matter is added and the pile is turned by hand. This is cheap, easy and a simple method of composting.

Wire/Plastic Mesh Composter

Wire or plastic mesh composters are simple forms of composting, like the wooden composter above. Organic matter is added to the pile, and materials are turned by hand. Water is added as needed or can be left to the elements. These forms of composting are the easiest but also take the longest.

Computerized Indoor Composter

Indoor composters have become computerized with new gadgets that calculate the organic waste, add water and keep it at the perfect temperature for decomposition. These also turn the compost at the precise time and drop mature compost into a removable tray for use in the garden. These are expensive and not widely used but have a certain appeal to the "techie gardener." These may also prove helpful to apartment dwellers or those who are not gardeners but want a way to recycle organic waste instead of sending it to a trash dump.

Stand-Up Plastic Composters with Features

Stand-up plastic composters come in many types, sizes and shapes. The one pictured here is an Axial Crank Thermo-Composter, by Juwel. This composter has a crank at the top that turns the stiles inside, mixing compost and eventually sending the small composted pieces to the bottom, which is sifted out through the screen, putting mature composted materials out of the bottom to be picked up through the door. This is a very sophisticated composter but is also very effective. Other systems are made that have several sections, one at the top for freshly added materials and progressive sections working toward the bottom with mature compost.