By Franco Chiaravini (@cuidaralatierra)
The knowledge is there, you already know how to compost or maybe you are learning. You want to start but you still have a hard time defining which is the best compost bin for your situation. Here are six keys to keep in mind, and some tips to make it easy for you.
1. What for?
This is the most important point, what is your goal with the compost? If your desire is to generate fertile land for your garden, no matter how much space you have, you can opt for a modular small compost bin, select well what you are going to throw there and let the process happen. On the other hand, if you want to take care of all your organic waste, you will most likely need a large compost bin or several small modular ones.
2. Space
If you have a garden, you have two options: do it directly on the ground or in a compost bin.
If you choose the first option, consider that if you live in a dry place (less than 30-40% ambient humidity), it is best to dig a well so that the humidity level is maintained throughout the process. On the other hand, if you live in humid climates, it is best to do it on the surface so that there are no complications.
If you choose the second option, it is best to build or buy the largest compost bin you can so that you have to intervene as little as possible. The same applies if you can do it on a terrace, since it may have enough space available, but it does not have direct ground.
In the case of a balcony, the remaining options are small modular compost bins, such as the one from Estés Verde (40L), the one from Compás (45L) or Proyecto Cultivarte. You can even make your own at home by following this video.
3. Quantity of Organic Waste
If you have a vegetarian or vegan diet, you will probably need two small modular compost bins or one large one. With the amount of waste you generate, you will have no problem filling 40 L of organic waste in two or three weeks. Keep in mind that the process takes time. There are ways to speed it up, but at least the biggest decomposition will need 15 days to a month. After this time, it may end up maturing in a pot.
4. Time
If you have little time, it is best that the compost bin is as large as possible, so that a kind of ecosystem is generated that self-regulates and does not depend on you. On the other hand, if you have a little more time to dedicate to it, you can have a small compost bin, which you look at and stir from time to time. The small ones usually require a little more attention than the big ones.
5. Children and animals
If you have children in the house, it is best that the compost bin is closed to avoid bad times. We do not want such a small being to come into contact with the immensity of bacteria that are working there and then put their hand in their mouth. With this I am not saying that they are not present at the moment, but care should be taken with hygiene.
In a similar sense, if you have pets, it is best to have the compost bin closed to prevent them from digging and removing the entire pile when it is not necessary.
6. Aeration
I recommend that you prioritize those composters that have aeration, since it is important that oxygen circulates so that the decomposition is aerobic. Otherwise, the decomposition will be without oxygen, the bacteria will be different, they will generate a bad smell and a somewhat toxic product for the plants in your garden. If the compost bin you get does not have aeration, you will have to stir the content every so often: a week, fifteen days or when you feel an unpleasant smell.
There are other factors to take into account when choosing your Compost Bin, such as a nearby water source, or considering the presence of trees or the amount of wind in the area. Of course, everything will depend on the type of compost you want to carry out, if you want to know more key points, click here: Where to Put a Compost Bin
In summary
You need to consider what you are going to compost for, how much space you have, how much organic waste you generate, how much time you have to dedicate to it, pay attention if you have children or pets, and seek to generate the most aeration so that bad odors are not generated.
I hope all of this helps you evaluate your current compost bin or investigate which one is best for your situation.
If you want to know more about the composting process you can take the free course that I give in my Caring for the Earth Kit.
FONT: How to Start Composting?