There are many ways to create a DIY easy compost bin. My husband came up with one that is easy, free and lets the air circulate so it composts faster. This one can be made with materials that you have on hand. If you’re curious, come along for the journey!
How We Got Started With This DIY Easy Compost Bin
My husband and I have needed to create a structure for composting for some time now. We did see some ideas on the internet and took them into consideration. I was still leaning on using used wood pallets.
One day I came home and he had created a fantastic easy and free compost container. We already had the materials from the chicken run. With just a little bit of ingenuity and muscle, it was done in no time.
What You Need to Get Started with Your DIY Composter
- Some Extra Chicken Wire or Hardware Cloth (this option is more sturdy) or you can use perforated 4″ PVC pipe.
- Some Extra 2 X 4 Welded Wire, we chose this.
- Angle Grinder with cutting wheel . Or you could use tin snips.
- Safety gloves
- Safety Glasses
- Pliers, to bend the wire so it will be secured.
What we did was to use the hardware cloth as a tube in the center of the compost container. This allows air to circulate easier. Although, can also run some plastic PVC pipe, if you have it laying around, crosswise as you build you pile to create air circulation. This will be the EASY part of the composter. You won’t have to worry about turning your pile.
To Begin the Process of Creating the DIY Easy Composter
A pallet is laid on the ground first, for more air flow. Wrap the 2 x 4 fencing around the base of the pallet to create your ring, letting the fencing overlap no more than a foot. We cut it with the grinder/ cutting wheel. You can bend a section of the extra wire to hook it together from top to bottom.
Next, we created the smaller inside tube. With the hardware cloth, or perforated 4″ PVC pipe, create the inner ring. Use tin snips to cut the hardware cloth, to create a 4″ diameter. Use wire to weave the edges together in creating the center tube.
What to Compost in Your Compost Bin
First of all, get some leaves (brown material) that are falling off your trees, or ask the neighbors. I am sure they will be glad to give you some! Water that down well. You can also use hay and straw, cornhusks, brown cardboard, another key point is no tape on the boxes. This will not break down completely and has toxic chemicals.
Then add some greens, which can be kitchen scraps, weeds, fresh grass trimmings (if you get this from the neighbor, make sure they don’t add chemicals to their lawn), spent plants from your harvest, ground up eggshells, manure from the chickens or other barnyard animals, and coffee grounds and tea bags (unless the tea bag has a staple), additional add in really anything that is living. Add in some compost. Water down again.
Questions About Composting
Can you continue to compost in the winter? Yes, in fact, with snow comes continued moisture for the compost. You may chose to cover it with bubble wrap or a tarp for more heat retention between snows or rains.
What are some items not to throw in your compost bin? Do not throw in eggs & dairy, meat, fish & bones, fatty foods, cooking oil & grease or butter. No citrus fruit peels, onions, garlic or avocado peels/ seeds. No baked goods or cooked grains. Lastly, no coated cardboard such as milk cartons, juice cartons and the like. The plastic coating on these will not break down. If you use coffee pods only throw in the coffee, as well as tea bags, only the kind with no staples.
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Do you have any tips or tricks for backyard composting? Leave us a comment below. We love to share how to be successful in the garden or homestead. Sharing with each other is what makes us community.
Blessings on your garden or homestead from us at our eden!
Kimberlee
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