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Composting: From pile to bin This week, our compost pile was moved into a compost bin. The transition was quick, easy, and frugal, since we used items we already had on hand to make a composting bin! I have been composting for several years now, using a pile in our back yard. I am admittedly a Lazy Composter, per the instructions on that page. ;) Since someone in the neighborhood didn't like my "pile" method, we were asked to contain our compost in a bin. I started researching options for compost bins. We didn't want to spend a lot of money on a commercial bin, and we didn't have a lot of supplies on hand. There are numerous ways to contain compost, from chicken wire fences to brick structures to wooden cribs, but I knew how quickly the cost of supplies could add up. Once again, it was Google to the rescue. I came across this video about making a compost bin using an old garbage can! Immediately I knew we had found our solution! I had an old garbage can in the garage that could easily be sacrificed for this project! Step 1: Find a flat location for your compost bin, and make a foundation using bricks, blocks, or stones. (See top photo.) This will provide airflow under the bin.  Step 2: Using a half-inch drill bit, drill holes in the bottom and sides of the trash can. Avoid drilling directly on the seams, as this could weaken them and cause them to split. For the holes on the bottom of the trash can, be sure to drill from the inside out to facilitate drainage. (This page also has other ideas for garbage can composting, including cutting off the entire bottom of the can and setting it directly on the ground.)  Step 3: Fill the bin using alternating layers of compost materials. Green layer (nitrogen-rich) could include: Food scraps (little or no dairy, meat, or oil) Brown layer (carbon rich) could include: Newspaper The bin can be filled all at once, or gradually over time. We actually made two bins, and filled the first one to allow it to finish composting while we work on filling the second one. Step 4: Water the compost using a hose or watering can, so that it is damp -- like a wet sponge.  Step 5: Put the lid on the garbage can and turn the can on its side. Roll the can to mix the compost. The compost should be mixed at least once a week, or as often as once a day. And there you have it! A super easy, fast, and frugal composting bin. I'll update in a few months to give more of a review of how this actually ends up working out for us! :) For other frugal tips and topics, visit Crystal's blog! :) we've been talking about starting a compost bin for years now, but we have never gotten around to it. Does it attract bugs or flies? we live sort of out in the country, and where we would put ours is in a field, I dont want to attract field mice (or any other critters) thanks! We've been trying to figure out how we were going to begin composting- this is a great solution. Thanks Tammy! Tracy I love your compost bin! We did one that was free too. We used old pallets from my husband's workplace. He just cut the front one a little lower so shorty (that's me), could reach in and stir it. I can't wait to have my husband read this! He has been wanting an easy way to compost and you post makes it very do-able. Thanks. Hi Tammy, What I want to know is why are people looking over your fence to complain about a pile? :)  Yay! Glad to hear you were able to work out a good solution to the matter. Will be praying this works well for you! thanks for posting this! i was just telling my husband last night that i want to start composting at our new house, and lo and behold you post an easy tutorial the next day! Nice idea! I have been thinking about doing the same thing, but I kept wondering if the lid would fall off the can while I was rolling it around the yard. :) How do you keep yours on?  Yes, grass clippings and newspaper really do break down! ;) Since I'm a lazy composter, it takes a number of months. I've heard that the scientific types can make compost in as little as 3 weeks! But I think you have to chop your stuff smaller for that. I just throw banana peels, egg shells, etc. in whole. :) The compost shouldn't be stinky or attract many insects, but I have found that using food scraps (banana peels, potato peels, etc.) for the majority of the "green" ingredients means that my compost does attract a few flies on occasion. If you only used grass clippings and leaves, I doubt any flies would come around. The fence(s) aren't ours... I wish!! :)  Thanks for posting this! This is probably what we'll do--you'll have to keep us updated on the progress. :-) My 7 year old son has been wanting to start composting but I haven't figured out what would work for us yet. I don't want an open pile because we don't have fences and we rent. I grew up in Panama and we did not have a garbage service, so my mom had a compost pile for food scraps, we burned paper goods, and she recycled metals. Anything plastic was recycled within the house. We had cats and a dog so they took care chicken bones and the like. The compost pile never failed to produce (talk about giving back) melons and squash. I never participated in the actual maintenance of the pile, but I do remember my mom using a shovel to mix it up. She would also end up using this "dirt" for potting plants. I live in the suburbs and find the compost bin idea very interesting and something I would like to try. Our house does "produce" a lot of trash and I really would like to start minimizing our household production. My questions is--if it's in this plastic bin how long does it take to degrade? The amount of time that scraps take to compost isn't really dependent on the type of container it is in (i.e. plastic, open pile, wooden bin, etc.). Things that affect composting time: Size of scraps (i.e. chop banana peels into smaller pieces for faster composting) Temperature of bin Proper moisture and ventilation of bin Mixing compost frequently ...and probably a whole lot more that I don't know about!! :) If you just throw layers in the bin and don't chop things very small and aren't real scientific about it (like me) then it will probably take at least a year. Which... is fine. We have two bins: one to fill, and one to sit. This fall, we'll spread the finished bin on our finished garden plot. We'll let the other compost bin sit for a year and start filling the one we just emptied. How long can you keep the compost in the bin before you need to use it? We want to try making compost but we will not need it until next year. If the compost is protected from the weather (rain, wind, sun) then you can store it for quite a while... I'm not sure how long, but I don't think things like dirt, fertilizer, potting soil, etc. go bad! :) I just made this today and it was so easy. I can't wait to see how well it works. Jim Post new comment |
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Composting is so easy, and it diminishes the amount of trash we put in our garbage can. Your compost bin is fantastic !!