I do not think lining a pallet bin with plastic is a good idea because it cuts off the flow of air. Compost needs and uses oxygen in the process. Plastic lining would make your compost go anerobic much sooner than not using it. I line my bins partially with cardboard leaving openings in the sides and especially in the bottom for air flow. Cardboard does breathe a little and tends to moderate the flow of air, moisture and heat. Click on my name to view my bins.Bill Hill

Not a good idea. Plastic may well help hold moisture in but it will also severely restrict the flow of air into the pile and the aerobic bacteria that will be digtesting that material need that air. Plastic will stop the flow of air and the material will be digested by anaerobic bacteria and the material will produce large quantities of gases that you do not want around, unless you have a closed system and will be capturing those gases for use for heat or generating electricity.

I use an old plastic swimming pool support, a rigid material about four foot high, and have two round *bins*, each about 8 feet in diameter. It is very dry here - relative humidity is rarely above 20%, annual average precipitation is Under these conditions, a waterproof side lining is essential in keeping up the necessary moisture for compost activity. I aerate the pile by driving a sharpened metal pole into the mass, by using a bulb auger on the end of a drill, and if I have the energy, and I usually don't, I take it all apart and turn it.

Usually, I just find it easier to leave it all heaped up for 18 months, adding material as high as we can easily throw it, say a mound thats 6 or 7 feet high in the middle, and soak it down with a hose now and again, and let the worms and bacteria do their thing at their own time and pace.

When we empty out one of the bins, we get an 8 foot diameter by 3-4 foot high pile of largely finished, beautiful black compost. The few odds and ends that didn't break down get called "mulch".

Your milage may vary. Certainly worth a try in a dry climate where a sopping wet t-shirt dries out completely in less than 5 minutes.

A good idea, actually. Some people in desert areas like you surround their compost pile with straw bales to get the same effect. The bales don't let in much air either.

People in more humid areas don't realize how much of a toll 0-15% humidity takes on an exposed compost pile. If you keep hosing it down, the center gets too wet.

I know everyone worries about air, but to tell the truth, if you're not turning the compost, there isn't going to be all that much air in it, it just settles into an anaerobic lump.

And don't put the sticks and branches on the bottom for air, either. It's pointless, and makes it hard to turn the pile.

So, go ahead and line the sides (not the bottom) with plastic and start piling up your materials.

Sue

You live in southern california which is probably paradise compared to most of us. I wouldn't use plastic unless you need to...try it without for one year and if it doesn't work you can add it next year.

Besides I'm doing with out as much plastic as I can. Compost happened before plastic and will probably happen after we don't have it anymore.

Another vote for "not a good idea". Defeats much of the purpose of composting not to mention interfering with the process itself as adequate air circulation is just as important as moisture. Moisture can be added if needed. Air can't. ;)

Dave

Where I live (we have been having monsoon season lately!) it would be a dreadful idea. Our compost is too wet much of the time. In southern CA it is probably different. But still it is a bad idea to involve plastic in your compost. It will degrade over time due to sun, heat, age, and so on. Then you will have small pieces of plastic all over your compost. Not a good thing.

If you feel you must put something around the compost to conserve moisture, how about a big hunk of cardboard on the sides or top? That way when it breaks down you don't have to worry about it.

Marcia

If you need to line the bin, use landscape fabric. It will allow water evaporation and some air circulation preventing the pile from becomming anaerobic.

Landscape fabric has the same problem as plastic. It will degrade over time and shred into pieces. Landscape fabric is generally designed to be covered by mulch of some sort and not exposed directly to the sun, otherwise it degrades even faster. Burlap would be helpful if you want something fabric-like. In general, whatever you use should be something that could safely become one with the compost eventually, because it probably will.

Marcia