There are three determining factors you have when deciding on what kind of composter you should construct, depends on how much time, money and yard space you want to put into it.
There are many different styles of composters that you can chose from and each will work very well, but only if used properly.
The following is a list of the basic types of composting methods. Each method can be built and modified in a way to fit your own needs.
Compost pile:
This is the easiest and most common type of composting method. The compost pile is basically just yard waste, kitchen scraps and other organics thrown on top of each other as they are discarded without any other attention given to how they may effect the pile. Although this method is the easiest to do, it is also the slowest method of composting because the materials are not combined in the right ratios, the pile is almost never mixed and it doesn’t get the right amount of moisture, usually to little.The finished compost can be found at the bottom of the pile closer to the center.
Factory Made Composters:
Recycled plastic composters, the kind that are most common, use this style of composting. The home owner just throws the yard and kitchen waster into the top and retrieves the finished compost at the bottom through a small door. Usually though, the home owner gets frustrated with the composter because it either takes to long for the materials to break down into usable compost or the bin fills up and there is nowhere to put the new waste.
There are some people who use these bins effectively though, but they will usually use more than one bin, alternating batches between them. They will also mix in the proper amounts of ingredients and make sure that the moisture content is correct.
Hot compost pile:
The hot compost pile is one of the most effective methods for turning raw organic matter into good usable compost.
This method works by using the correct ratio of green waste (nitrogen) and brown waste (carbon) mixed with the right amount of soil and moisture. When the microbial organisms in the soil start to consume the fresh organic materials the center of the pile will reach a temperature of more than 140 degrees F. This hot temperature will help to kill any weed seed that may be in the pile.The microbial organisms will work so well that they can create finished compost within 2 to 3 weeks.
If you would like to learn how to build a hot compost pile please go to the Building a hot compost pile page.
Trench composting :
This method is good if you have a large vegetable garden and you don’t want to have to look after a composting pile or bin.
Trench composting is the method of composting where you dig one or more trenches in your garden that follow the same line as the rows of vegetables you have growing. As the year goes on you will slowly fill the trench with yard clippings and kitchen scraps and top it all off with soil.
The following year, you will then plant the vegetables in the row that has the composting it and dig a trench beside it for the new batch of compost to be made.
This method does work but it takes up allot of garden space. If you would like to learn more on trench composting you can visit mastercomposter.com to find out everything you need.
Vermicomposting :
Vermicomposting is great for people who live in apartments or live in parts of the country that have several months of winter weather. Since the winter can make it difficult to reach your composter for long periods of time, many people just throw out their kitchen scraps, but with vermicomposting you can create compost all year long.
Vermicomposting involves using worms to do the composting for you. The unit is usually kept in a closet, corner of a room or in the garage and takes up very little space.
Vermicomposting is easy to get into and it can be a great way to introduce children to idea of composting because they can see how the kitchen scraps that they would normally throw out can be used as food for the worms and eventually become good compost for the garden.