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Any ideas for compost storage in Greenhouse?

Becoming_A_BettyBecoming_A_Betty Posts: 7
in Problem solving
Hey all, I've been giving my greenhouse a nice tidy out while there's the time. I took all the compost and substrate bags off my shelf and have been trying to find a nice, more aesthetically pleasing way of storing them. I've popped some pictures below of the space. I was hoping to find some kind of stackable bin storage with a lid maybe? I just can't seem to find anything online that's not plastic. I think I just want to fufill my fantasy of being a shopkeeper scooping things out in a Victorian gardening shop ☺️ I found the ones pictured but I'm guessing they aren't ideal without lids and cost a fortune!. Any ideas would be really appreciated. 💗





Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think it would be easier to just use a bin of some kind. A metal dustbin or similar if you won't use a plastic one. 
    However, trying to put bins of compost under a shelf will always make it difficult to access, regardless of what it's in.
    I keep pots and other tools, and a small chest under my shelf storage [in a shed]  and the compost just lives in a corner where I can access it. If it was more visible, and it bothered me, I'd use a bin with a lid.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I just keep the bag I'm using leaning against the leg of my potting bench for easy access so I can tip or scoop out what I need for the task in hand.  After that, I bung it under the bench and lake sure it's folded over so it doesn't dry out between jobs.   Spare bags are stashed in the shade somewhere to keep cool.

    I'd  use that space and shelf for storing pots and trays and maybe some vermiculite or grit which is used in smaller quantities.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    Greenhouses get very hot, and it's best to keep compost slightly moist, so I wouldn't store it in the greenhouse.  We just stack the bags somewhere in the garden, but out of direct sunlight.  If you have more of a potting shed, the temperature will be cooler, so storing compost there might be fine.

    For our gravel, and specialist composts (aquatic, etc), we use large kitchen compost bins of this type   Our local council distributed too many last year, so we find them very handy for storage.  We keep them outdoors, not in the greenhouse.  

    If you have to use some sort of storage under the potting bench, some drawers might be better, as you can slide each drawer out fully, to access/replace the contents.
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    I bought a purpose made green compost bin with a lid which also doubles up as a seat. Problem is I haven't used it as I then realized I don't have the strength (or the height!) to lift it up and empty into the bin. It is plastic however.
    I do the same as Obelixx does and lean the bags up against my outside potting table.    
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Compost is best kept in it’s original (black on the inside) bag and resealed once open to keep it moist - and stored in a cool place. You definitely need a lid on any receptacle. You could look at galvanised metal livestock/horse feed bins, which come in space-saving square shapes in a range of sizes and could be spray painted a suitably victorian shade. The problem I see is your shelf - if it were just a table, sans shelf, you could put them on castors and roll them out, scoop away then roll them back.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Becoming_A_BettyBecoming_A_Betty Posts: 7
    philippasmith2 said:
    Agree with @Fairygirl .  Almost impossible to get anything of a decent size under the bench.
    I keep my compost in dustbins outside and then just fill a bucket to take into the GH as needed. It's also easy to then make up your potting mix according to your needs - bit of top soil, bit of grit, etc.  
    The stackable bins/boxes you show don't really offer easy access but perhaps just one layer would fulfill your Victorian Shopkeeper ambitions for some tasty sweets to keep you going :D
    Yeah I think you are both right, getting anything big enough under there would be an issue. I'm happy to leave the compost milling around as it gets used so quickly anyway! :-:smile: I think I was thinking maybe more of the gravels, pumice and substrates that don't get used so often so little metal bins would work great, thank you for the suggestion. 
    philippasmith2 ha! Yes I think one layer for sweeties is must!
  • Becoming_A_BettyBecoming_A_Betty Posts: 7
    Nollie said:
    Compost is best kept in it’s original (black on the inside) bag and resealed once open to keep it moist - and stored in a cool place. You definitely need a lid on any receptacle. You could look at galvanised metal livestock/horse feed bins, which come in space-saving square shapes in a range of sizes and could be spray painted a suitably victorian shade. The problem I see is your shelf - if it were just a table, sans shelf, you could put them on castors and roll them out, scoop away then roll them back.
    These are great suggestions thank you Nollie, the metal horse feed bins look interesting smile: Good idea on the castors too...thank you so much x
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I just keep mine in the bags too, outside behind the garage next to my compost bins. I either use it straight from the bag (the compost bin lids are my "potting bench") or if it's cold and I'm going to want a bit for seeds or cuttings or houseplants, I scoop some into an old mop bucket (rectangular with the squeezer bit removed) and keep it in the shed for a bit.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
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