How can i make a cheap bin for compost pile? tell me what u know about composting?
Question:tell me everything u know about compost. I'm trying to find a way to make a compost bin that costs me almost nothing, i have some junk wood, i might use it, but i don't want it to fall apart quickly.thanks
Answers:
To build mine I just took 3 old pallets and put them on end and staked them into place to form a 3 sided wall. I turned up the ground that was with in it and then you just add grass clippings, leaves, kitchen scraps like vegetables, fruit, banana peels, egg shells, coffee grounds and the like. Don't put meat, oils or leftover bones from your steak in there. I also would not put branches in there. When you get a good pile established, you can water it every so often or let the rain water it. This helps the decomposing process. Every couple of weeks or so, I turn the pile over with a pitch fork to help thing decompose quicker. Don't worry if you see steam, this just means that your compost pile is working. When you get some nice "dirt", you can mix that with your soil for some natural fertilizer.
wood would be a nono, since a compost pile will be crawling with bacteria and such, so the wood would likely just decompose. my family has one, and we just use a plastic bin from the dollar store. in the backyard is just a fenced in area lined with heavy plastic boards, the type used in roofing for sheds. it works out pretty well.
oh, and eggshells do go in the compost, just fyi.
You can make a compost bin out of your wood if it is in good condition. To make the wood last longer, you can stain it or paint it. Wood stain discourage rotting. You can use the wood to build the sides and purchase chicken wire from a farming supply store or a hardware store. and nail the chicken wire to posts to make a square bin. If you have enough wood, you can build a wooden bin. The side can be built like a fence, but the horizontal spacing smaller. The compost bin, if homemade is very cheap and economical.
You can put any plant material (grass clippings, leaves, pine needles, vegetable waste, rinds. etc) don't put meat in the compost. It will reek TERRIBLY. Every week or two, turn the compost to stir it up, this will help the composting process.
This will also help you with composting, it is cheap, helps amend the soil and is good for the environment.
You can use a extra large garbage can, you can use the wood you have and some chicken wire and build a compost box. You can dig a large deep hole in the ground, 3ft x 3ft x 4ft.deep. You work the organic (Fruits and Veggies and garden by products only. No oils, meat or meat by products, no animal waste, no chemicals save for dish soap and episom salt.) in layers of soil, fruit and veggie or garden by products, soil, soap. You flip it every 2 weeks then put another layer of soil on top to hold back the smell.
A year later you have compost.
I don't use a bin at all. I just pile the stuff up in a mound. Just be sure its in an area that won't be unsightly to neighbors. You can put just about any organic material in the pile. Leaves, grass clippings, etc. Don't recommend putting in pet animal waste such as dog or cat poop, it can be too harsh on some plants. If you take a pitchfork and turn the pile about every three or four days and add some water from the garden hose (don't soak it, just keep it damp) it will decompose much quicker and can be ready to use in just two or three weeks, otherwise it can take months especially if the weather is dry. Decomposition needs moisture and air (turning the pile lets in more air)to occur. An added benefit to compost is that earthworms love it and mine is usually filled with them underneath the top layers. Worms are good for gardens and they also deposit worm droppings in the compost which helps make it even better. If you like to fish, now you have a bait source. Sometimes a compost pile can give off an unpleasant odor which may be a nuisance to neighbors, this can be avoided by turning and adding moisture. I almost never have an odor problem doing this.
When the compost turns almost black (looks kind of like dirt) its ready to spread into the garden. If you have a lot of compost you can make two piles, one thats well on its way to being done, and one thats just starting out. Keep rotating them and you will have an almost constant supply. Good luck.
Good point made above, don't put in meat or meat products, stick with plant waste.
I use cinder blocks.
More Related Questions & Answers...