Let me see if I understand this. You put your kitchen scraps, etc, in pots, then plant in those pots after the scraps turn into compost? I’m not able to compost any longer because it was attracting bears, dogs, coyotes, mice and who knows what else? I can’t compost inside the fence because my dogs would eat everything. I have to throw all of my kitchen scraps into the trash, which really bothers me. Those composting bins are so expensive.
Some people trench-compost: Dig a trench, dump in the kitchen scraps, cover with dirt, plant there in the spring.
Some critters might have a good enough nose to smell out and dig up your underground compost, I suppose. But it might be worth a try.
Sorry, I completely missed this post when I answered. Chicken wire or chain link fence may keep out dog or coyote, but I am at a loss about the bear. Double 00 buckshot, maybe?
It's not for everyone, but have you considered vermicomposting?
I agree that composting bins are expensive and usually require a lot of space. Living in an apartment with not much direct sunshine and not a lot of space has proved to be an interesting challenge. Some plants, like roses, actually bloom well with the amount of light they get. Basil does wonderfully, as does parsley, sage and rosemary. Will try thyme next summer. lol Tried tomatoes and cucumbers without any success. When composting in pots, I always put some heavy rocks on of the planter to deter squirrels and place the vegetable material as deep in the planters as possible.
Trisham:
I have been experimenting with composting in pots too. We have a basement kitchen for processing foods. Right outside the door we had a garden plot of clay soil which is too shaded to grow any herbs.
So I dug up spaces and set several garden pots into the ground about 1/2 way up the pot. The area is also inside a fenced of play yard. I put bones in one pot. Banana Skins in one pot, and egg shells in a pot during the fall and winter.
Cover with some of the clay dirt. Then next spring, I use these as needed as additives to my main compost in the garden. For example I like to add the egg shells to my Tomato or watermelon garden plot.
Any bones not totally decomposed are just added back to the pot and covered up again. So far so good. It seems to work, and saves a long trek everyday to the compost pile.