Compost bins are easy to build, as well as cleaner and easier than a compost heap. Whether you've been wanting to build one for a while or have recently been inspired by gardening, there's no reason to procrastinate. Here are instructions for building a general-purpose bin, one that can even be used on a patio or veranda, and also as a garden waste bin.
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Method 1 of 3: Building a Multi-Purpose Compost Bin
Step 1. Gather your materials
For this basic compost bin, you should want untreated wood. Untreated wood will last a long time, and processing will not interfere with the composting process or overwhelm the helpful fauna. Cedar wood is a good choice. You need:
- Four 4x4cm or 9x9cm logs, cut 1m long. These stakes will be the four corners of your square compost bin. Choose wood that is rough and unformed.
- 8-16 pieces of 4x14cm wooden planks, again cut 1m long. These boards will form the walls of your compost bin. Most compost bins have voids between the exterior boards for air circulation; how much space you want depends on whether you're using 8, 12, or 16 pieces of wood.
- Cover of 1 square meter, preferably made of solid wood. A solid cover will help maintain a more consistent internal temperature for your compost bin.
- Galvanized nails or plated deck screws.
Step 2. Nail one 4x14cm board crosswise at the ends of two 9x9cm bars
Place the two 10x10cm bars on the ground 1m apart, so the 4x14cm boards fit snugly at both ends. Determine the placement of the boards three or five inches from the end of each 9x9cm rod to ensure that the 3x13cm board will be attached perpendicularly. Lay the 4x14cm boards onto the 9x9cm bars and hammer two nails into each of the 8x8cm bars.
Step 3. Measure the size of the cavity you want between each 4x14cm board
You should continue to build the wall by nailing another 4x14cm plank to the two bars, but you should also leave some space between each board. The cavity size you choose is up to you. However, you should make the size of the cavity between each board uniform, otherwise the barrel will look unprofessional and untidy.
A three or five-inch cavity is pretty standard. If it's bigger than that, it's likely that some of the compost will seep out of your barrel, or expose it to small animals like ferrets
Step 4. After selecting your slot spacing, attach another 4x14cm board with nails to the 9x9cm bar next to the previous board
Continue nailing the 4x14cm planks into place, factoring in the desired distance, until you finally reach the end of the wall. At the end of this step, you will have two 9x9cm vertical pegs crossed with three or four 4x14cm perpendicular boards. This is 1/4 of your square barrel.
Step 5. Create another wall in the exact same way
Place two 9x9cm sticks. Measure from three or five inches as your starting point. Then place the 4x14 board perpendicular to the 9x9cm bar, securing it with nails into place with four nails. Continue installing, then nailing, the 4x14 boards perpendicular to the 9x9 rods - leaving the proper voids - until you have successfully assembled wall no. 2. Two walls should be like mirror images of each other.
Step 6. Stand two walls parallel to each other and connect the back end of the trash can with a perpendicular 4x14cm board
As with the previous 4x14cm board, measure from the bottom, secure with four nails, and slot each one evenly. Hammer the 4x14cm planks across the back wall of the 9x9cm bar until the barrel has three walls.
Be sure to vary the position of the nails you stuck into the 4x14cm board so they don't bump into each other with the nails driven into the 9x9cm rods in the previous step
Step 7. Finish the barrel by placing the end boards perpendicular to the front side
Attach three or four 4x14cm boards along the front face of the barrel, following the same procedure while remembering to vary the position of the nails.
Step 8. Cover with 1 square meter cover
You can use tarpaulin or wood for the compost bin, although wood is obviously more effective at retaining temperature over the long term. If you prefer, consider making two small wooden handles and attaching them to either side of the cover for easier placement.
Step 9. Consider making one or two identical barrels so you can have a cycle unit
One barrel contains active composting material; other barrels contain finished (or in progress) compostable material; and the last bin contains soil that you will use to cover the active compost bin.
Method 2 of 3: Building a Special Compost Can for Garden Waste
Step 1. Cut a large rectangular chicken coop wire mesh
This will form the body of your compost bin, which will be cylindrical. These barrels will be able to turn things like garden waste, sawdust, and leaves into compost. It can only be used in the open directly touching the ground and the process will be very slow.
- The height of the rectangle will be the height of your barrel.
- The length of the rectangle will be the diameter of your barrel.
- If you're not sure where to start, hold the cut chicken coop wire in front of you to estimate how tall and wide you'd like it to be. Since you'll be filling the bin with yard waste, it's better to be too big than too small.
Step 2. Make four pegs from scrap wood
These will be driven into the ground to maintain the shape of the wire barrel, so make sure it is longer than the height of your chicken coop wire.
Step 3. Flatten your rectangular chicken coop wire to the ground
That stretch will make it easier to work with.
Step 4. With staples, attach a peg along one of the short sides of your chicken coop wire
This is best done with you placing pegs under the wire. The top of the peg should still rise slightly from the top of the wire.
Step 5. Bend the other side of the chicken coop wire beyond the pegs so that the end without the pegs overlaps the post end
Your chicken coop wire is now in a cylindrical shape.
Step 6. Pinch the wire edges of your chicken coop along the pegs
It may be necessary to crawl inside the wire to make it easier to hold the pegs.
Step 7. Drive your half-finished barrel into the ground
Make sure you choose a place that won't get in your way later.
Step 8. Drive your other three stakes into the ground along the rim of the barrel
Make sure to stick them close enough to the wire so they don't change their shape. When finished, the position of the four pegs should be in a square pattern.
Step 9. Pinch the remaining pegs at the edge of the chicken coop wire
Once the bin is fully solid, you can start filling it with yard waste.
Method 3 of 3: Using a Compost Tong
Step 1. Put anything in your compost bin except the following ingredients
All organic matter will eventually break down if you give it enough time. Grass, lawn mowers, fruit and vegetable scraps, and certain manures are suitable for your compost bin. What is less recommended is tossing meat, bones, and milk (cheese, etc.) in the compost heap. Animal droppings such as cow and chicken droppings are fine, but try not to use cat or dog litter.
Step 2. Identify the green and brown ingredients
Green compostable material, which contains important carbon sources, including grass, garden trim and green leaves. It's mostly moist. Brown compost material, which contains nitrogen-rich materials, includes dry materials such as straw, twigs, and shredded cardboard. A mix of two servings of greens to one serving of chocolate is the ideal compost ratio.
You don't have to exactly measure the ratio. As long as you don't have too much green or too much brown, your compost should be nutrient-rich and successful
Step 3. Shred your material to speed up composting
If you want to speed up the rate of your compost cycle, be sure to shred your material before adding it to the bin. The grass clippings, of course, are already in torn form, but you may want to break your twigs, straw, and other dry matter through a shredder to increase the surface area. The larger the surface area, the more microorganisms and bacteria can process.
Step 4. Pay attention to the temperature and humidity in your compost pile
In order to keep the process going, your pile must be hot and wet. The two biggest problems facing compost systems are lack of temperature and lack of humidity. This affects the composting process in different ways.
Step 5. * Try to keep the internal temperature of the compost bin at 43 Celsius or higher
Between 43 and 60 degrees Celsius is the ideal temperature for your stack. If your stack temperature drops below 43 Celsius, consider adding more ingredients, or more water, or more nitrogen.
Try to keep the compost pile thoroughly wet - never too much water and never dry. The moist pile will heat up more efficiently, thus allowing for better compost yields in the end
Step 6. Stir the compost with a stick, making sure to cover your leftovers with soil
Stirring the compost will help break down the waste faster. Stirring sinks the shallow compost to the bottom and carries the compost that remains at the bottom to the top. Stir your compost daily, especially if you notice it's not getting enough heat.
Step 7. Keep the compost cover tightly closed with heavy objects to prevent disturbing animals
A few heavy bricks, placed near the center of your compost cover, will effectively prevent animals such as raccoons and opossums from throwing off the cover and digging into the compost to scavenge food debris.
Tips
- Compost can be used as mulch to cover flower soil, such as potting soil and sprinkled over your grass as a lawn conditioner. Don't use them all at once; save at least 1/3 of your original compost so you can start the process all over again.
- For faster decomposition, cut the ingredients into small pieces instead of large pieces. Small pieces decompose faster and the decomposition time is reduced.
- One of the most common problems with food compost is the smell. If your compost starts to smell very strong, it could be because there is too much water in the bin or too many bits. To ease this problem, don't add any extra litter for a few days, stir the compost to let the air out, and make a few small holes.
- Wait 2 to 3 months for general use of compost from the bin. The garbage bin will take longer and more depending on the weather conditions.
Warning
- Because the chemical reactions that occur during composting generate heat, fresh compost can damage plants. Be sure to cool your compost before adding it to your flowerbed.
- Fruit flies can be a nuisance to compost bins. If your compost is far enough from your house you shouldn't have a problem, but if not, just cover the top of your compost with a small piece of carpet or plastic with a small rock on top.
