Built a simple compost bin 3 years ago, just realized I've been doing it totally backwards

I set up a three-bin system out of old pallets in the corner of my yard back in 2021. For three years I was tossing all my kitchen scraps in the first bin and just letting it sit there forever, wondering why it never broke down. Then my neighbor walked over last month and asked why I wasn't turning the piles or moving stuff from bin to bin as it aged. He showed me you're supposed to start in bin one, move it to bin two after a month, then finish in bin three - I was just growing a stinky science experiment. Anyone else figure out a basic DIY backyard thing way later than they should have?

3 comments

3 Comments

grayc273mo ago

Took me two years to figure out you need air holes in a worm bin.

josephbutler3mo ago

You're not far off on the neighbor's method, but you don't actually have to wait a whole month in bin one. Once the pile heats up and starts to shrink, you can move it sooner. I usually shift mine every week or two when I'm being good about it.

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max4152mo ago

Had a neighbor who swore by the full month rule and I followed it for a while. But after trying the weekly shift last summer, the pile broke down way faster and didn't get that sour smell. Ended up with finished compost in about half the time. Definitely changed my approach completely.