How to Build a Compost Bin

!±8± How to Build a Compost Bin

More than 60% of the waste made in the average American household can be recycled for composted and there is only 8% of Americans who compost their waste.

Compost is an all-in-one conditioner, fertilizer and mulch for soil. It provides the soil with microorganisms that helps plants to stay healthy, improves soil's condition and helps clay sand drain while sandy soil retain needed water. Composting also lowers your contribution to waste by recycling both kitchen and yard waste. It keeps organic matter available for use in the garden and away from overburdened landfills.

There are several ways to compost, depending on the size of space that you have available. If you do not have the room for an outdoor compost bin, you can compost indoors using a particular type of bin, one that you can either buy or make yourself. They are great for people who live in condos, apartments or just do not have the room outside. The advantages to indoor bins are that they are so simple, inexpensive and most times do not need a lot of space. Even a small container can be used in a smaller space like a porch or apartment balcony.

Materials needed to build compost bin:

2 plastic garbage cans with lids (one smaller, one larger) A brick Wood chips or soil Insulation
Steps to build a quick and easy indoor compost bin:

1. Drill a hole 0.5 inch diameter in the bottom and one side of the larger garbage can

2. Place the brick down at the bottom of the garbage can

3. Place a layer of soil or wood chips around the brick

4. Set the smaller garbage can inside the larger, on top of the brick

5. Wrap the insulation around the outer garbage can to keep it warm

6. Cover both garbage cans with lids

What items to compost

Waste from kitchen Shredded paper Newspaper Lawn clippings/ weeds Garden plants Wood ash Tea leaves/ coffee grounds Straw/ hay Chopped leaves/ shredded branches

You should not compost fatty trash, meat scraps, excessive wood ashes or sawdust.

Maintaining your compost bin

Once the compost bin is ready to use, you much tend to the pile and also keep track of what is thrown into it. If this is maintained like it should be, it will not attract rodents or pests and not have a bad odor. The compost should be ready to be used in 2 to 5 weeks.

Every day or two, the compost bin needs to be aerated. This can be done by giving it a small shake. If what is in the bin is staying very wet or if there is a bad odor in the bin, you need to put some shredded autumn leaves, sawdust or shredded newspaper in it. Any of these will help to dry it out and balance the greens to browns that produce compost. If the contents in the bin are very dry, you need to moisten them with a spray bottle or add a lot of moisture-rich items such as vegetables or fruit then they are past their prime.