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How to Create a Homemade Compost Bin

Mar 31, 2017 6:30:00 PM

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If you're planning to expand your garden this spring, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to start composting. A compost bin gives you a place to toss your grass clippings, dead leaves and all the weeds you pull, and it turns these nuisances into healthy, free fertilizer to nourish the plants you care about. You can also add vegetable-based kitchen scraps and eggshells to the mix to keep these organic materials out of the landfill and harness their power in your garden.

Best of all, composting doesn't have to cost much. There are lots of fancy compost tumblers and bins on the market, but you can make one yourself for very little money — and if you can get your hands on some used construction pallets, the project could be free. This is a great way to use up the packaging from a delivery of bricks or other materials left over from your latest home renovation project. If you don't have any of your own, check in with local contractors and manufacturers — they're often pleased to give them away!

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How to Build the World's Easiest Compost Bin

Materials
  • 4 wooden shipping pallets (of equal size and shape)
  • 4 L-brackets and galvanized screws
  • screw gun
  • wire or clothesline
Instructions
  1. Decide where to put your compost bin. You'll need a level spot that's easy to access but not too close to the places where you entertain. A spot in partial sun is ideal. Make sure your compost bin sits directly on the earth rather than in a driveway or other paved area.
  2. Build your box. Place your pallets upright to dry-fit a large box — 1 pallet for each side. When you're happy with the way it looks, remove two pallets and use your L-brackets to join the remaining two pallets together at right angles. The brackets go on the inside; one near the top and one near the bottom. Use your screw gun to attach them. Once you have two together, add a third the same way.
  3. Place your 3-sided compost bin. You're now ready to put your bin in place. Have a helper work with you to lift the bin and site it where you plan to keep it permanently. If needed, use a shovel or garden rake to adjust the soil level if things are leaning.
  4. Attach the door. The "door" of your compost bin in the fourth pallet, which you can simply tie in place with wire or clothesline to secure it. The benefit of a fully removable door is that you can push a wheelbarrow right up to the bin and dump it easily, without having to worry about lifting it to empty. If you prefer, you could add hinges to one side for a swinging door, but this is purely optional.

How to Fill Your Compost Bin

Once your bin is built, you can fill it with any plant-based material you like, including yard waste and kitchen scraps. You can even add shredded paper, ash from your grill and manure from vegetarian pets like rabbits or chickens. Over time, it will break down to create humus, a rich soil that's packed with nutrients and helps add body to your garden area. It works well as a fertilizer, a soil amendment to improve drainage or a mulch to keep soil from drying out.

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It often takes about a year for your waste to turn to compost, but filling your bin properly can speed the process along. There are two main types of waste: brown and green. Brown waste consists of things like dead leaves, straw, and corn husks. Green waste, on the other hand, means items like grass clippings, weeds and kitchen scraps. 

In general, you want to alternate layers of brown and green waste for best results. The easiest way to do this is to keep a bin of dead leaves or a bale of straw near your compost bin. Every time you add new scraps, cover it with a fresh brown layer. This will keep your pile from attracting insects and looking more attractive, along with helping the items to break down. 

During dry spells, you can lightly water your compost pile to keep everything working as it should — the microorganisms responsible for breaking down your yard waste thrive in moist environments. You can also use a pitch fork to turn the pile every couple months to aerate your compost bin.

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