Make or Build a Compost Bin
Construct an Inexpensive Homemade Bin with These Easy Plans
You can make or build a rudimentary compost bin from cheap or free materials. No carpentry skills are required.
Every organic gardener must use compost in the garden to achieve healthy plants resistant to disease and pests. Gardeners new to organic gardening may buy bagged compost in their inaugural garden season, only to realize very quickly that the appetite for compost often exceeds the garden allowance for soil amendment.
Although there are many fine commercial compost bins on the market, these bins hold a limited quantity of compost. You may wish to use multiple compost bins: one or two small models to receive scraps close to the kitchen or garden area, and a large bin to hold the seasonal bounty that autumn leaf drop provides. You can build or make this larger bin from materials that might otherwise end up in the landfill.
Wooden Pallet Compost Bin
Every kind of warehouse uses wooden pallets to transport goods from truck to shelf. Big box stores also use wooden pallets in their receiving areas. You can ask the manager for three or four of these pallets, as they are often discarded after a shipment is received.
You can wire together three or four pallets with heavy gauge wire, depending if you want a three or four-sided bin. Use pliers to twist the wire several times, and trim off the excess wire with wire snips.
Wire Mesh Compost Bin
You can use ten feet of chicken wire or hardware cloth to construct a simple, if small, compost bin. Simply stand the wire on end, and roll into a circular shape. Fasten the ends with wire, and twist to secure with pliers. Secure the wire compost bin to the ground with a wooden or metal stake.
Recycled Trashcan Compost Bin
If your old trashcan has sprung a leak, give it a new lease on life as a compost bin. Use a utility knife to cut some additional holes in the can for aeration. If the trashcan has a locking lid, it can function in the same way a commercial rotating compost bin does for speedy results. Simply turn it on its side once a week and roll the contents about.
Concrete Block Compost Bin
If you have access to concrete cinder blocks, you can build a three-sided compost bin that lasts forever. Make a row of 12 cinder blocks to form the foundation for the back wall. Stack the blocks no more than four high to ensure a stable structure. Make the sidewalls increasingly shorter, one block at a time, so that the access point is only one block tall. You can drive posts or stakes through the holes in the top blocks for added stability. Consider painting the outside of the bin brown or dark green to help it blend into the surroundings.
If you’d like to build an indoor compost bin, read this article about vermiculture.
