How to Build a Compost Bin
Building a Compost Bin for your backyard takes about 15 minutes, to build a basic bin. It's easy, convenient as well as you'll wonder why you didn't build one sooner.
- Recycle or buy a plastic pail/bin with a tight fitting lid about 24 inches tall or taller. Your pail needs a lid to keep critters out as well as to keep soil moist.
- With a drill, drill 8 to 10 small holes in the bottom of your container for aeration purposes.
- Place your compost bin in a shady area away from your home in the back yard. If you live in an apartment or have no backyard you can place your bin on the patio. Be sure your compost is not in full sun or your compost will dry out.
- Place some shredded newspaper or dry leaves on the bottom of your compost bin, fill about 1/8 - 1/4 full.
- Place dirt from your garden ontop of the newspaper, until your compost is 1/2 full.
- Now, place any food scraps or paper products into compost such as fruit, vegetables, crushed egg shells, paper towels, etc.
- Give your compost a little stir with a shovel or stick, making sure to cover your food scraps with dirt.
- With a drill make 8 to 10 small holes on bin lid.
- Place lid on compost, every other day you add food scraps to bin you should give it a stir. Mixing the compost will help breakdown the scraps faster.
- Wait 2 - 3 months to use your compost. Compost can be used as mulch to cover flower beds, as potting soil as well as as a sprinkled over your grass as a lawn conditioner. Don't use it all though, save at least 1/3 of your original compost as well as then you can start all over again.
- One of the most common problems with having a compost is the smell. If you compost begins to smell very strong it could be due to too much water in your bin or too many scraps. To ease this problem, do not add any extra scraps for a few days, stir the compost to aerate as well as drill a few more small holes if necessary.
- Fruit flies can become a nuisance with compost bins, if your compost if far enough away from your house you won't have a problem. If the compost is close or next to your home just cover the top of you compost with a small scrap of carpet or some plastic with a small rock on top.
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Added: Thu Feb 02 2006
