Materials You Need to Start Composting

Now that you have decided that you want to compost, there are a few items that you will need to get started.  Most of these items are available in your own yard and require a small amount of planning ahead of time.

After you pick a location for your compost bin or pile (ensure it is in an easily accessible location) you may want to start with approximately four inches of leaves as a base.  If you are able to chip the leaves prior it will make things progress and breakdown faster but it is not a requirement.  The quantity of leaves you will need to make a four-inch deep base will vary depending on the size of the bin you have chosen.

Yard waste composting bin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Your next layer should be about one inch of high-quality soil.  If you cannot find this in your own garden a small bag of organic soil purchased from your local nursery will work fine. 

Then start layering the food for the microbes to eat.  There are two categories of food you are going to need brown (yard waste or dry items such as straw) and green (food scraps, grass clippings, and other organic waste).  A common ratio is two parts brown for every part of green, but it doesn't have to be terribly exact.

You are going to need a spade or heavy-duty pitch fork to turn or rotate the compost at least once per week.  If there is a dry spell you will need a means of adding water (a hose) to keep the pile moist.

With such simple materials and start-up instructions, anyone can start their own compost pile in under a day.  If you choose to not use a bin, consider buying some wire mesh to contain the pile, it can be wrapped around the base of the pile in a circular shape. You may also create a square or rectangular bin by stacking logs or pieces of wood or bamboo to create the sides - or build a bin from wood planks if you want something more durable and enclosed.

Your compost can be ready to use anywhere from four months up to one year, depending on the climate and weather conditions.

The Best Place for your Composting Bin

When choosing a location for your compost, the most common location for a compost pile or bin is in close proximity to your kitchen and/or garden.  You want it in a convenient location to make it easy and second nature to bring your food scraps or garden waste to the composter.  And if you have a large yard, the yard waste can get quite heavy and you don’t want transporting the heavy material to be a deterrent to composting.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are other considerations that need to be taken into account when choosing a composting site.  Keeping all the below suggestions in mind, you also want to make sure that it is in an area that children or animals will not disturb or get into the compost bin.

The ground should be level and not prone to collecting excessive water (it needs good drainage).  Your compost pile needs to stay moist but you do not want too much water or it will not work properly.  In addition to level ground, make sure you can easily access the area with a wheelbarrow to transport your finished compost.

A shady location is best, as if the compost pile gets too much sunlight it will get too hot and dry out.  Again, the pile needs to stay moist and overheating it with external sources will not help.

A water source should be close by – you can reach the area with your garden hose or easily carry enough water to moisten the pile if it becomes too dry.  Remember you just want to moisten the pile with a spray of water not drench it.

If you are beginning with a one bin system, you may want to leave enough room for a second bin down the road.  By having two bins side-by-side, you can easily rotate or turn the pile by moving material from one bin to the next.

Video: DIY-Build Your Own Compost Tumbler

If you don't want to spend a hundred bucks or so on a compost tumbler, you can build your own with just a few inexpensive materials such as trash barrels and a few other items. A tumbler is a great way to compost because it is easy to aerate the materials without having to dig and turn the pile with a fork or shovel. It's great for someone like me who has occasional back problems - just give it a spin and it will mix the contents for you.

If you're handy and have the time to create your own bin, check this out to find out how for just a few dollars. 

DIY Rotating Compost Bin (Tumbler) for $12
In this video, Clint from http://gardenfrugal.com teaches you how to make a rotating compost bin (Compost Tumbler) for $12. For under $25, he shows you how a...


But if you don't feel like trying to create your own bin, I've had great success with the Envirocycle Tumbler Bin - I've been using mine for about 5 years and it works great, is completely pest-proof, and easy to use. Unfortunately they don't make this model anymore, but the others below are very similar and highly rated by users.

   

Video - How to Build Your Own Compost Bin

Here is a helpful video on building your own compost bin - practically for free! If you don't have any tools, you may have to pick up a couple things, but they are pretty basic, and other than the staples and twine, if you follow some of his tips for finding materials for your bin, you may spend little or nothing on making this bin.  (He actually shows you a couple of different types of bins, as well as how to start the composting process.)

I particularly like the first bin he demonstrates because, as he mentions, the sides can easily be opened/removed if needed, to remove the finished compost, and it can also be taken apart and moved to a new location.

Check it out, and see how easy it can be to make your own compost bin!

how to build a compost bin
vavrek shows how to build a large compost bin using free materials :: save the scraps, save our world !

More Composting Resources:
   

Building Your Own Compost Bin

If you would rather not purchase a bin for your compost pile, you should still devise a way to contain it.  You can easily and inexpensively build your own bin.  This will give you more control over the size of the pile and can prevent unwelcome animals helping themselves to some free food.

Image by JenWaller via FlickrIf you are using recycled lumber and it has been treated (either painted or stained) make sure it has been done using non-toxic material.  You do not want anything toxic or poisonous to come in contact with your compost, especially if you are going to be using it where you are growing food.

You will need four 4-foot sections of 2X4 and 20 3-foot sections of 1X6 boards.  Begin by hammering the 2X4 lumber pieces into the ground with a sledgehammer at the corners of what will become a 3 feet squared container (space each corner post 3 feet apart). 

Next, put five boards to every side securing each end of the board to the corner post with nails.  Be sure to leave enough room in between each board for air circulation.  You can use a piece of plywood or another flat piece of material large enough to cover the top as a cover if you wish.

Image via WikipediaAnother way to build your own bin is to use new or recycled pallets.  Find wooden pallets (you may be able to find them at a land fill site) and nail or screw them together to form a square.  If you want you can add a fifth to give the bin a bottom, but this is not necessary.

Another option is to enclose the pile with a wire mesh.  You can either create a circle with the mesh and secure with metal ties or hammer wooden posts in a circle around the pile and secure the mesh to the wooden posts.

Hopefully this gives you some good ideas for building your own compost bin. If you're still feeling confused, or you just want to see an example, come back on Saturday for a helpful how-to video!

Related Articles on Building Compost Bins:

• Compost - Garden, Yard and Household Waste [A Crash Course] (survivalfarm.wordpress.com)
• Homemade Food Compost Bin (lisaakari.wordpress.com)
• Free Compost Bins - But you have to live in Gilbert. (greenarizonabroker.com)
• Apartment Composting (chicagonow.com)

Making Your Uwn Compost Bin

With spring just around the corner, it is already time to start thinking compost! The sooner you get your compost going, the faster you will have great compost to add to your garden. Even if it isn't quite warm enough to get some good composting action under way just yet, you can at least begin preparing for the season. If you intend to make your own compost pile, it would be nice to make an enclosure or compost bin for your convenience and general neatness. There are a number of compost bins commercially available in various garden stores (see below for some examples). You can buy one if you have the money, or you can make your own compost bin fairly easily. It’s really not that difficult and the materials you need are not that hard to find.

Image via WikipediaSome commercially available compost bins have their own systems or devices for turning over the compost. Some have harvesting trays or mechanisms for easier collection. But those things are just add-ons and are made for added convenience for the consumer. You really don’t need such stuff. All you really need is a basic enclosure to keep the compost materials from being scattered around the area (and hopefully keep the animals out).

Possibly the only limitations you have in making your compost bin is the amount of imagination and ingenuity you have. Fortunately, you can look in your storage room or garage and look for suitable materials and most likely you will find some quite suitable ones. They can be made from heavy plastics or wood or tin. Like I said, it’s just a matter of how you handle the “paints” to create a “masterpiece”.

One of my suggestions would be using a wire mesh, a couple of wood planks or even pipes. The idea would be like creating a simple wired fence around your compost pile with the pieces of wooden plans or pipes as support. You can tie the wire mesh to the pipes or planks to make it more secure. The shape is up to you. You can make it round, square, rectangular or even triangle shaped.

Just keep in mind that you will need to have easy access to the compost pile to turn it over at least once each week. You can create a doorway in the wire mesh or you can make your enclosure in such a way that you can easily lift and put back the whole enclosure.

Image via WikipediaAlso, if you have some left over wooden slats from an old fence or wooden planks from an old shed, I’m sure you can assemble a quite sturdy compost bin in your backyard. Just make sure to let the air in by allowing spaces between the wooden boards. This will keep the air flowing inside the compost pile and make decomposition quicker. If you have enough loose boards lying around, you can create a dresser-type compost bin complete with a door with hinges for easy access to the compost pile.

You can even fashion one from a garbage can. Look for an old discarded can where you can afford to experiment without being scolded by your wife or your mother later on. What you need to do is punch a few holes in your garbage can to allow the air to circulate through the composting materials. Then just put your composting materials inside the can. Before you cover it, wet the materials inside until they appear damp.

You can turn over or roll it around to let the materials mix while always keeping the compost pile damp. In a few months, you should be able to get satisfactory results from all your effort.

You see, making your own compost bin is very easy. You just need to consider the following fundamentals: air should flow inside the bin, you should have quick access to the compost pile or the ability to easily turn and mix the contents, and you should be able to wet the pile when needed.

Some Commercially Available Compost Bins: