Caring for the earth is just as much a part of gardening as planting flowers and veggies. Creating a compost bin for your yard is a terrific step in the right direction. Composting kitchen wastes and garden clippings makes great plant fertiliser.
Most compost bins are made to speed up the composting process by retaining the right amount of moisture and air.
When air and water are mixed just so, aerobic organisms can thrive, creating the high temperatures necessary to convert the organic components into compost.
What is a compost bin and what can go in it will be covered in this primer. We’ll also walk you through the steps you need to take to make your compost bin ready from the ground up.
What Is A Compost Bin?
To make compost, or organic material, from organic waste, a compost bin is used. Even without housing, a compost “pile” or “heap” will decompose. But a compost bin is worth the investment because it hastens the decomposition process and keeps things tidy.
Some bins are “continuous,” meaning you may keep throwing trash in them, while others produce compost in “batches” using a predetermined combination of ingredients. Bins also offer the potential benefit of preventing rats from accessing your compost. However, this will depend on the design you go with.
Anaerobic Vs. Aerobic Composting Systems
Composting systems can be classified as either aerobic or anaerobic. Compared to anaerobic composting, which is a bit more involved but results in a quicker process and more nutritious material, aerobic composting is more popular and straightforward.
Aerobic
An aerobic system relies on oxygen from the air for survival. Such aerobic microorganisms flourish in an environment created by properly constructed and managed aerobic compost containers. This is the goal of the majority of gardeners. However, a minority prefer the opposite strategy of anaerobic composting.
Without aerobic organisms, compost bin contents won’t “cook” properly and won’t produce high-quality compost.
If you’ve ever put your hand into a compost bin and felt the heat, there’s proof that the pile has a high concentration of aerobic organisms. For this reason, “breathing” holes should be included in your compost bin’s aerobic design.
An aerobic compost pile requires the ideal proportions of organic materials (such as yard trash and kitchen scraps), the appropriate amount of water, and regular turning with a pitchfork. Using the proper ingredients, aerobic bacteria decompose the organic waste in your compost pile.
To prevent compaction, keep oxygen circulating, and keep out anaerobic organisms, an aerobic compost pile must be moved frequently. Your mission is to raise the temperature of the biological material within them. Under anaerobic conditions, on the other hand, fermentation is the desired outcome.
Anaerobic
“Anaerobic” refers, on the other hand, to bacteria and other creatures that can survive without oxygen. The term “anaerobic composting” is commonly used to describe how these organisms, which live in a compost bin and affect the quality of its decomposition, produce their byproducts. Bokashi composting is an anaerobic method of decomposition that relies on fermentation.
Since there’s no need to turn the pile in anaerobic composting, it requires less work, but it also stinks up the place. If you live in a city or a suburban area and enjoy gardening, this may go poorly with your neighbours. As a result, aerobic compost bins that are kept clean don’t smell.
What Items To Compost?
Some compostable food scraps are better than others. That’s because certain things can serve as a magnet for pests and stray animals. It’s not always clear if you should compost brown stuff (dry or woody) or green matter (wet and slightly fresh). Here is a list of sources:
Do compost:
- Waste products such as food scraps and eggshells
- Items made from unbleached paper (such as brown paper bags, newspapers, and coffee filters)
- Disease- and pesticide-free houseplants and yard debris
- Grounds for Coffee
- Fur and hair
- Nutshells
- Sawdust/wood shavings
Never compost:
- Products derived from animals and seafood (meat, bones).
- products derived from milk, including fatty oils, butter, and lard
- Pesticide plants; plants with diseases
- Human and animal waste
- Containers made of foam, glass, plastic, and metal
What You Need to Do Before Constructing Your Compost Bin?
No matter your gardening experience, you can benefit from making your compost. Kitchen and yard debris including peels, trimmings, and dry leaves are recyclable.
When applied topically to plants or incorporated into soil, the nutrient-rich mixture of decomposed organic components produces excellent results. However, a compost bin is necessary before you can get started.
Starting with a garbage can (which you may already have) and drilling many holes in it to allow air to circulate and speed up decomposition is one of the easiest DIY compost bin options. Then, you may put your new bin somewhere handy and begin collecting organic waste.
What You Need?
The composting bin is easy to make. You’ll need only three simple things:
- Garbage container with a cover (thirty to forty gallons capacity)
- Dremel with a paddle bit
Prep The Bin
Before you put it to another use, wash out that old garbage can you found in the garage. There should be no trace of anything that won’t decompose in your trash can. You don’t need to wash a brand-new bin before using it, but you should remove the tags and throw away the wrapping.
Having a container on wheels makes it much simpler to transport your compost from one area of your garden to another. Make sure your container can withstand prolonged exposure to sunlight by being UV resistant.
Drill Holes
Fit the drill with the paddle bit. Begin drilling into the can’s side a few inches from the top. Separate the first hole from the second by about three inches. Drill along the length and width of the container until you have rows of holes. Make sure to do this on both sides.
Clean Out Bin
Repeatedly scrub the garbage can with hot, soapy water to remove any remaining plastic dust or parts from the drilling procedure. The new compost bin can then be put to use.
How To Build A Compost Bin?
It’s worth noting that compost bins can take several shapes and sizes before continuing this discussion. As a result, they are built using various methods. Let’s get started on the compost container right away.
Worm Compost Bin
When your compost mixture will primarily consist of food scraps like vegetable and fruit peels, this design is ideal. Introducing worms to feast on vegetable scraps and turn them into compost is on your agenda. Because of this, you should construct your compost bin so that worms may easily enter and exit.
Materials Needed
The items required to construct one are listed below.
- A 16-foot section of 2×4 lumber
- Plywood (for the outside): one 4′ by 8′ sheet, 1/2 inch thick
- Hinges for two galvanised doors
- Fifty-five galvanised sixteen-penny nails.
- A 2-by-4 board measuring 12 feet in length.
- Shredded cardboard, Moistened Peat moss, and brown leaves (worm bedding)
- Nails, galvanised, 2 pounds, 6 pence each
- For every half pound of food scraps you add to your compost bin each day, you should have about a pound of worms.
Tools Needed
- Safety glasses Hammer
- A measuring tape
- Protective gear for the eyes and ears
- Handsaw
- Sawhorse
- Draw a slashing line in the chalk
- 1/2-inch drill bit
- Screwdriver
Worm Compost Bin Assembly Procedure:
Now that you have all of the necessary components on hand, you can begin building your worm compost bin. To construct one, do as follows:
- Two 16×42-inch sides, one 24×42-inch bottom, two 16×42-inch ends, and one 24×42-inch roof should be cut from exterior plywood.
- The 12-foot 2×4 should be cut into five 4-foot sections. Among the shapes found were two that measured 23 inches, one that was 20 inches, and two that measured 39 inches.
- Join the five pieces into a rectangle. Put the longest pieces at the back and the shortest ones in the front; the 20-inch ones should be towards the end. Use 6D galvanised nails to attach the components together.
- Nail every three inches into a 23×42 inch sheet of plywood using 6d nails.
- Cut four 1-foot plywood sheets from 16-foot 2×4 lumber. One at each of the 16″ short ends, nail the 2x4s to the 16″ x 42″ plywood pieces with 6d nails.
- Nailed the plywood sheets at an upward angle to the subframe with 6d nails.
- Put nails through the frame and into the 16×24 plywood sheets.
- Put a 3-inch gap between each pair of 2x4s and nail them together. Next, employ a 1/2-inch drill bit to create a grid of 12 holes.
- Now, it’s time to frame out the top. Take 24 lumbers that are 16 feet long and sew off a part that is 12 feet long. Divide it into a 12-inch section and a 4-inch section to form a rectangle.
- Attach a 24×42-inch plywood sheet to the framework with 6D nails.
Now, attach the hinges to the back of the container’s interior section. When you are finished making your last adjustments to the bin, make sure the lid is standing upright.
General Purpose Compost Bin
Compost bins come in different forms, as was previously mentioned. Therefore, select and construct one that serves your specific composting requirements. However, you can use the standard style (multipurpose compost bin) that covers most of your bases.
Materials Needed
Quantity: 8-16 2×6 timber pieces. To make four corners for your compost bin, you would reduce these to 3-inch lengths.
- Protecting 9 square feet
- Cut four 2-by-2s to equal lengths.
- Galvanised fasteners
Method for Building a Compost Bin for Multiple Uses
It is a relatively easy task to build this bin. The steps below will guide you:
- Set up a pair of 4x4s such that they are parallel to each other at a height of 2 inches and a width of 6 inches from the ground. Then, set the 26 boards atop the 44 posts and fasten them in place with two galvanised nails.
- Set the compost bin’s distance from other objects. The general idea is to maintain uniform spacing between each piece of lumber.
- Nail more 2×6 lumber into place until you’ve built a quarter of your container. This begins the process of building the initial barrier.
- Use the same blueprint for the second section of the wall.
- You can now prop up the two walls so that they are perpendicular to one other and the back of the bin.
- Arrange the completed planks in a perpendicular configuration across the bin’s front face.
- Your trash can is almost complete. You can now use a 9-square-foot piece of wood or tarp to conceal it.
Is Composting Beneficial to the Earth’s Ecosystem?
There are many ways in which composting benefits the environment. Specifically, it benefits your garden since it promotes plant growth. In addition to helping you throw less food away, composting returns valuable nutrients to your garden. Humans have learned to harness composting, which occurs naturally in the nitrogen cycle.
One of the greatest environmental benefits is achieved by decreasing food waste. When you compost your food waste instead of tossing it away, you reduce your garbage output and, by extension, your emissions of glasshouse gases like methane.
Composting can be used for a wide variety of purposes. In addition to helping the planet and your garden, it may also benefit your health. Don’t worry too much about your soil at first.
Conclusion
Gardening requires composting, and a compost bin is a great way to turn organic waste into organic stuff. Compost bins maintain moisture and air to speed composting. In compost bins, aerobic organisms generate high temperatures to convert organic matter into compost. Some compost bins can create compost continuously, while others use a set recipe.
Aerobic and anaerobic composting systems exist. Anaerobic composting uses bacteria and other organisms that can exist without oxygen, while aerobic composting needs air. To avoid compaction and maintain oxygen flow, anaerobic composting involves pitchfork turning.
Some compostable food waste attract pests and stray animals, thus some are better. Food scraps, unbleached paper, disease- and pesticide-free houseplants and yard waste, coffee grounds, fur and hair, nutshells, and sawdust/wood shavings are sources.
Make a compost bin by drilling holes in a garbage can to allow air to circulate and speed decomposition. Making a composting bin requires only three things: a garbage can with a cover (30 to 40 litres) and a paddle bit drill. Start collecting organic waste in your new compost bin after cleaning the garbage can.
Compost bins come in many sizes and construction styles. A worm compost bin requires 16-foot sections of 2×4 lumber, plywood, hinges for two galvanised doors, fifty-five galvanised sixteen-penny nails, a 2-by-4 board, shredded cardboard, moistened peat moss, brown leaves (worm bedding), and galvanised nails.
Cut two 16×42-inch sides, one 24×42-inch bottom, two 16×42-inch ends, and one 24×42-inch roof from external plywood to make a worm compost bin. Cut the 12-foot 2×4 into five 4-foot pieces and assemble them into a rectangle. Use 6D galvanised nails to join the components, nail them every three inches into a 23×42 inch sheet of plywood, cut four 1-foot plywood sheets from 16-foot 2×4 timber, nail them to the 16″ x 42″ plywood, and attach the hinges to the container’s interior back.
Use 8-16 2×6 wood pieces and cut four 2-by-2s to similar lengths for a typical compost bin. Galvanised fasteners form a 12-hole grid. Set two 4x4s parallel to each other, position 26 boards atop 44 poles, and secure them with two galvanised nails to make a multi-use compost container.
Composting boosts plant growth, lowers food waste, rubbish, and glasshouse gas emissions. Composting benefits soil and the environment.
Content Summary
- Composting is an important aspect of gardening that also has positive effects on the surrounding environment.
- The breakdown of organic matter is sped up by the use of a compost bin, which also helps to keep things organised.
- Your compost will be protected from vermin and rats by using either a continuous or batch approach if you store it in a compost bin.
- Composting systems can either operate in an aerobic or anaerobic environment, with the aerobic variety being the more common.
- Composting in an aerobic environment requires oxygen and produces an environment that is favourable to the growth of aerobic bacteria.
- A compost pile that is aerobic must have regular turning and must include the appropriate elements.
- Composting done in an anaerobic environment involves the use of microorganisms that can function normally in the absence of oxygen and rely on fermentation.
- Food scraps, paper that has not been bleached, and debris from the yard are all acceptable items to compost.
- Meat, bones, dairy products, and containers composed of foam, glass, plastic, or metal should not be composted. Compostable materials include almost everything else.
- Gathering waste from your kitchen and yard, such as vegetable peels and leaves, is an important step in preparing your compost container.
- A garbage can outfitted with ventilation holes can serve as the basis for a straightforward do-it-yourself compost bin.
- A garbage can with a cover that is between 30 and 40 gallons in capacity, a Dremel tool equipped with a paddle bit, and various cleaning products are required.
- Aeration holes are bored into the container, and it is thoroughly cleaned before being used.
- Worm compost bins are great for collecting food scraps and other organic waste, and they use worms to speed up the decomposition process.
- The construction of a worm compost bin requires a variety of tools, including exterior plywood, lumber, hinges, and nails.
- Compost bins designed for use with worms must to have adequate ventilation and be simple for the worms to reach.
- Compost bins with a general purpose can satisfy a variety of different composting requirements.
- Both 2x2s and 2×6 timber pieces are required for the construction of a compost bin that can be used for a variety of purposes.
- The design and dimensions of the bin are adaptable to meet the individual needs of each application.
- The process of composting encourages the growth of plants and is therefore good for the environment as a whole, including your garden.
- Composting cuts down on both the amount of wasted food and the emissions of glasshouse gases.
- Benefits to the environment and gardening can be derived from human manipulation of naturally occuring composting processes.
- Composting helps cut down on the amount of methane, which is a potent glasshouse gas. This helps reduce the amount of waste produced from food.
- Composting is a multipurpose activity that may be done for the betterment of the environment as well as your own health.
- When you first start composting, you shouldn’t put too much thought on the condition of the soil where it will be used.
FAQs About Garden Composting
What Is Composting, And Why Is It Important For The Environment?
Composting is the natural process of decomposing organic matter into a nutrient-rich soil conditioner. It’s essential for the environment because it reduces food waste, lowers methane emissions, and enriches soil for healthier plant growth.
What Can I Compost In My Bin Or Pile?
You can compost various kitchen scraps like fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and eggshells, yard waste, leaves, and certain paper products like newspapers. Avoid composting meat, dairy, and pet waste.
How Do I Start Composting At Home?
To begin composting, you’ll need a compost bin or pile, a mix of green (kitchen scraps) and brown (leaves, yard waste) materials, and proper aeration. Combine these materials, maintain moisture and air levels, and turn the compost regularly.
What Are The Differences Between Aerobic And Anaerobic Composting?
Aerobic composting relies on oxygen to break down organic matter and is the preferred method for gardeners. It produces high-quality compost but requires regular turning. Anaerobic composting doesn’t use oxygen and is simpler but may produce unpleasant odours.
What Are The Environmental Benefits Of Composting?
Composting reduces food waste, decreases methane emissions from landfills, conserves water, and enriches soil, leading to healthier plants. It’s an eco-friendly way to recycle organic waste and contribute to a more sustainable planet.
