Most types of compost machine, commonly known as a compost bin, are designed to make the process of decomposition faster by maintaining moisture and airflow. By using a combination of moisture and air, the ideal conditions for composting are met. It also encourages the proliferation of aerobic microorganisms. These minute organisms can survive even the highest temperatures that are required to transform organic matter into viable compost.
Table of Contents
What is a Compost Bin?
A compost bin is a container where you place organic waste to transform it into compost over several days or weeks. Some bins can support continuous composting where you can keep adding more organic food waste and other decomposable material to the pile of decaying matter. Meanwhile, other bins accommodate several batches of compost that is added with a mix of different ingredients.
Do I Need a Compost Bin?
All organic matter will decay with time when you place them in a compost pile, even without doing any special steps. You can even use plastic rubbish bins with lids if you don’t want to spend more on a specialised machine. But when you use a compost bin, you can hasten the process of decomposition. Compost bins can also make it almost impossible for rats and other animals to get into the compost, especially tumbler type compost machines.
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Composting
There are two processes that gardeners use to create good compost.
Aerobic composting
Aerobic composting happens when you expose the compost to oxygen to encourage decomposition. All types of aerobic compost machine are designed to maintain adequate levels of oxygen to promote the growth of aerobic bacteria. This process is the most commonly used method by gardeners, but some opt for the complete opposite—anaerobic composting.
Aerobic microorganisms are very important if you want to produce good compost. Without them, the process of decomposition won’t happen at a faster rate. If you’ve ever tried to touch or dig into a compost bin, you’ll notice that it is hot. This heat is produced by aerobic bacteria. This also means that they are of a sufficient population in the compost pile.
For table waste, a food scraps compost bin that is designed for aerobic composting will work wonders.
A good aerobic design should be your priority if you want to purchase an aerobic compost bin. Aside from organic matter, you also need an adequate amount of water and a pitchfork to turn the compost pile once in a while.
Anaerobic composting
In contrast to aerobic composting, anaerobic composting requires the complete absence of oxygen to let anaerobic bacteria thrive. Like aerobic bacteria, these microorganisms can also influence the quality of the compost produced by compost bins. Some of the most simple composting bins also use this process to produce compost.
Anaerobic composting is also less labour-intensive, unlike aerobic composting that requires the frequent turning of the compost pile to avoid compaction, maintain proper oxygen levels, and get rid of anaerobic bacteria. For anaerobic composting, you only need to wait for the fermentation process to occur, and you’re good to go.
However, the main drawback is that it produces a foul smell, which can be an issue for your neighbours or employees (if you decide to start composting at home or in the office). Still, if your anaerobic compost bins are maintained and secured properly, they won’t produce a strong odour.
Conclusion
If you want to start getting into composting but want to produce the best quality compost, you should consider investing in a compost machine. This machine will not only save you time in composting, but it’s also easy to use and produces less odour. Composting bins are also great and efficient solutions to get rid of organic waste while reducing the amount of rubbish you’re sending off to the landfills.
Learn more about composting and other ways to reduce your environmental impact by reading our other articles!
