Our previous attempts at bin composting failed due to lack of browns—the pile gets super gross in a plastic tub without proper aeration and dry materials. We also had it on our patio, and it really needs to be on dirty for the worms and other bugs—adding by hand is not sufficient.

Glad your post convinced me to try this again! Fingers crossed for black gold and a lush garden.

Hope that helps! And good luck with the bin composting! =D

My city does not offer green waste pick up – they crushed the concept before they even initiated the small trial. Good grief. Alas, I’ve always grown up with composting and have established two systems in my yard.

I have a traditional composter – greens in the top with a bit of brown, compost out the bottom/side flap. For one person, I usually fill it to the very top by winter’s end [downfall of living in Canada - my composter does freeze] and am able to harvest about four to five wheelbarrows full in the spring.

In conjunction to my green composter, I also have a “green cone” which is a digester. It can accept greens, but also things not appropriate for a regular composter – pet waste, dairy, meat, bones. It is not intended for browns. The contents of this unit are only emptied every few years, and are not to be added to your garden. I’ve had mine for six years, and have not yet required to empty the digested contents. It gets used sporatically through the year, but is essential to having enough green waste space it throughout the winter.

To both my composter and digester, I do add a natural bacteria tea each spring and early summer to help reboot after a long winter. Whether it helps, or I just feel better sharing some tea with my composter… who is to say?!