In-bed Compost Bins

My large rotating compost bin I’ve had for years finally bit the dust. So I was coming up with new ways of composting, but also wanted the nutrients to directly feed into my garden soil and take out the step of transferring it from the bin to the beds.

I also wanted a cost-effective solution. So I headed to Dollar Tree and found these wire baskets. A good size to contain the organic matter, with large enough spaces between the wires for my worms to venture in and out safely. I decided to start with half of my garden beds, to see how well they would do, so 4 out of 8 garden beds have them.

I then ventured to Home Depot to find terra cotta plant saucers to act as lids.

The 10 inch saucer fits perfectly over the wire baskets.

Next step, dig your holes, place wire baskets and fill them up with compost material. Here’s a general guideline of what to add to your compost bins.

These bins fit seamlessly into my raised beds and make it easier to compost and turn waste into useful nutrients for my garden.

I’ve also noticed they’ve helped with reducing pests, as they draw the pill bugs (roly pollies) and snails to decompose the material instead of snacking on the plants themselves. Thus adding to my organic ways and not having to use any pesticides in the garden.