Visited a community greenhouse in Portland and noticed a trick with their compost bins

They layered their compost with both browns and greens in plastic mesh bins instead of a pile and it barely smelled at all. Has anyone else tried using bins with more airflow like that for hot composting?

2 comments

2 Comments

richard_sanchez4319d ago

That plastic mesh might let some air through but its not really enough for proper hot composting. You need good air flow on all sides not just through little holes. The real issue with bins like that is they trap moisture and you end up with anaerobic pockets that get slimy and smell worse than an open pile. I have tried those mesh bins and had to turn them way more often than a simple pile to keep things from going sour.

hugo_craig19d ago

Just flipped mine on its side and it worked way better for air flow.