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Old 12-10-2008, 02:56 PM posted to rec.gardens
Phisherman[_3_] Phisherman[_3_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Aug 2008
Posts: 413
Default Question about Compost bins

On Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:52:13 +1100, "YMC"
wrote:

Hi,

Due to the layout of the house - I probably need to locate most of my black
plastic compost bins (3/5) to an area of the garden which gets full sun. I
tried it before - but the worms invariably die during Summer.

But would the composting process still work? (I'll put a bucket of water
each day to keep it moist)

I tried the open concept - but the compost invariably dries up and does not
decompose. Doesn't work so well.





Your compost pile should work in sun or shade. A compost pile (at
least 1 cubic yard) should stay moist inside for days, although the
edges will dry out. I'd think your pile may be too small if you need
to water it daily, else you are in an arid region. Guidelines suggest
locating your compost pile near the garden, convenient location, and
out-of-sight. Your bin is working fine if it is warm 12" inside it. I
use rabbit fencing shaped into a 4' rings. I planted rose-of-sharon
around the cylinders to keep the bins somewhat hidden. They get
mostly shade, but good ventilation. If you have more than one bin,
you can experiment to see which location works best. Any plants
growing near a compost bin usually grow like weeds!