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Soil, Compost & Mulch

compost bin location question

15 years ago

I'm new to gardening and plan to build composting bins out of old pallets. My problem is I'm not sure where to put them.

The original home owners concreted most of the backyard so there is only a little area of grass. I assume the septic tank and it's drain field are under that grass somewhere. I'd like to locate the composting bins on the concrete so that I can leave the grass with a perimeter of flower garden.

Would that work? Or do the composting bins have to be in contact with the ground?

Thanks!

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Comments (7)

west9491
15 years ago
no it does not. in fact, i lay a tarp down on the ground and build my pile under it, reason being, i catch the water that runs through it and it is an excellent tea/fertilizer (see robert soilguy's method thread)

but......starting a bin on the soil does give it a lil head start because the pile and the microbes in the ground have access to each other, but either way will work just as good. (think about it: compost tumblers are suspended feet above the ground and they work)
blutranes
15 years ago
My friend Bill Hill has his bins on concrete and makes great compost. Click link below to see his set-up...

Blutranes

Here is a link that might be useful: Bill Hill
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I'll make a comment on the size of the bins. When deciding on the size of each bin, one might consider the materials you will be composting. For example, if one expected to use a mix of sawdust and leaves as the 'browns', one might make the dimensions 3' by 3'. If one expected leaves to be the main 'browns', one might select 4' by 4' for bin size. If wood chips were expected to be the main 'brown' (without small filler stuff like sawdust), maybe a 5' by 5' size would be a good choice. My mesh bins are 5' by 8' by 2' high, and can reach 150F or more if the mix is optimal. The reason for the different sizes is due to air movement. Movement thru wood chips is easier than thru sawdust or very finely shredded leaves. The third number, height, can be less than the other two if the compost pile is sitting on the ground, which can also store heat. Since it is easier to turn a low pile, my compost piles have never been more than 2.5 feet high in recent years.
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billhill
15 years ago
Thanks blutranes. Couldn't have said it better myself. It's convenient to mix green and brown ingredients on the cement pad before shoveling it into the bins.
Bill Hill
Kimmsr
15 years ago
Some people may think that compost bins must be incontact with soil so earthworms can get into the mix, but since earthworms are not significant digesters of your material that is not true. Some people will also tell you that a compost pile needs to be in the sun so it can heat up, biut that too is not true, since the sun is not a significant contributer of heat to any compost pile.
If somewhere on the concrete is a good, convenient place for your compost bin put it there. Some people may also try to tell you that the water seepage from your compost pile will be lost if it is on concrete, but you should not have any such leakage from your compost pile because that means there is too much moisture in the mix which will exclude the air the bacteria that are digesting your material also need.
fluffyflowers
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank y'all so much for your help! I appreciate it :)
cowgirl2
15 years ago
Some of these bins were made from pallet lumber. The pallets have to be disassembled. The bins are portable and can be located on grass or concrete.

Here is a link that might be useful: Compost Bins
gardener_mary
15 years ago
I agree with the other posters, where ever it works for you is a good place for your pile. I would just suggest that you sprinkle a shovelful or two of garden soil on your pile as you build it to help get those microbes going.

Good gardening, Mary

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