Simple and Effective Composting System - Yardfully’s Geobin®!
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- Yardfully offers the Geobin® composting product. We’ve tested it for over 5 years and it’s worked well. There are a couple of things you need to be aware of though!
#composting #compost #compostbin #yardfully #geobin #recycling #gardening
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It's been over 5 years since we purchased our first Geobin® from Yardfully products. The product is made in the U.S., and Yardfully is a division of Reynolds - yes, THAT Reynolds!
The composter is made from a sheet of high-density polypropylene (HDPE) and is available in black, green, and tan/sand. First, unpackage the product. It will be rolled up tightly. Unroll it the best you can, and place it in the sun to soften it and release memory. You can then set it up to the diameter you want, ranging from 2’ (61 cm) to 3.75’ (114 cm). The material is overlapped on itself and is fastened using the provided keys.
The system is delightfully simple. The sheet is generously perforated to allow moisture and oxygen to be available down the sides of the compost batch. The keys work well and are intuitive. The unit holds a large amount of composting material, and the bin can be opened readily to remove completed compost, closed up, and refilled with new material. The three colors allow you to choose what you think will fit best in your setting.
What don’t we like?
The edges are sharp and need to be softened. The edge is hard on your hands and forearms. You can sand the edge to soften them, or wear long sleeves.
They provide the minimum amount of keys, but they could be more generous with them in the initial order. You can order additional keys in increments of 5, and we’ve done so. When this episode was produced, they cost $10 for a 5-pack.
It’s 3’ (1 meter) tall, which is a good height. But if you place the unit on a pallet (as we have), or you are “height-challenged”, it can be a bit difficult to work over the top edge. We suspect they’ve had this feedback as they offer a shorter 24” (61 cm) product.
The sides are not rigid, so keep the bin the shape you want as you fill it. It does tend to shift shape over time. If you’re OCD, this can bug you!
The high volume is a plus and a minus. You can get a lot of material into the bin and get it “cooking” really well in a short time. However, mixing or turning the pile takes a good amount of effort. We’ve bought a couple of accessories to make our composting efforts much easier AND more effective.
Check out our episode on our 3 favorite composting accessories here:
• 3 Must-Have Composting...
We like the system and think it is cost-effective and with some accessories easy to use. We have two on our property in our garden plot and one at the greenhouse facility where we volunteer. It’s a good addition to our gardening efforts and we think you’ll find them a good product that does what it is supposed to do at a fair price!
If you want to buy these products, here are a couple of links to their website:
yardfullyprodu...
yardfullyprodu...
JUST DO IT YOURSELF!
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Maybe buy a pool noodle and slit it halfway through longways and put it on the top edge of the bin to cover the sharp edges? Or maybe some water pipe insulation, it's not quite as big a diameter, I don't think.
Randy, that's a great idea. I'll give it a try!
Duck tape
I'm thinking that I would have 2 of them (or more) and after a while I would take the first bin apart and put the top half or so into a different one, then top it off with new organic matter. I'd turn the bottom one and put the bin back around it to let it keep composting. I think I'll look into this. I presently have a four-bin system that I can use to turn one bin's contents into another one, but I've been thinking about getting something like this to put next to my garden so that I don't have to cart everything over to the existing bins.
I think that would work very nicely for you. With the ability to unlatch them from the front and spill out the contents or to reach into the pile with a fork, you could process material nicely. Let me know what you decide to do and how it works out for you. Best Regards, DFJ
Have to watch these bins, they attract rats.
Yikes!!! 🐀s?????
We haven't had any problems, but we make sure all "edibles" are buried well and mixed in. Or, we put those types of things to our chickens and then the bedding to the compost.