Budget compost bin

[21stCenturyKid]

I've seen many tutorials online for making inexpensive compost bins out of plastic storage totes or garbage cans. Seems simple enough. Drill holes in the container about two inches apart. Shake or roll the container to aerate.

http://raisingolives.com/2012/04/diy-co ... +Olives%29

Do you think I can make several smaller ones out of gallon milk jugs?

[lazyboy]

Hi, sure you could take smaller bins, but there are some problems that are easier solved with bigger ones.

First, with smaller bins you lose the heating effect, that means it takes longer to get usable compost.
Second, it´s harder to find the right mixture between to wet and to dry. That comes with other problems like disgusting rot smells.

I`d take the bigger solution or if you really don´t have the space try some worm composting.

I hope that helps.

[jacob]

You can go smaller for worm composting (not heat dependent), but even then bigger is easier to manage (you can much more lax in terms of feeding frequencies and amounts) since the worms are free to move over a larger volume.

[Lemur]

I'm building basically the same type of bin this week in the video:
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-make-t ... st-2539476

Costs $0.00 as the bin was found in the shed just sitting there. I already own a drill and a hole saw bit. Already have glue. I'm trying to think of creative solution for the wire mesh.

[sky]

Are you looking to build a compost bin for kitchen scraps? or garden/yard waste?

[Lemur]

@sky

Mainly garden/yard waste but I do toss in veggie scraps too. Right now the bin is filled with layered leaves and some type of grass trimmings that I cut down with a machete (looks like a lemon grass but has flowers regrows in my yard here every year near the woods). I also tossed in saw dust on some of the layers.

So not exactly sure what it is but its a recurring free green source...



The bin looks just like this:
What is missing is the 2-3inch holes for aeration and water drainage. But apparently the holes also need to be covered with some wire mesh; I guess so the compost doesn't fall out when you roll it to "turn over" on a weekly or so basis.

[theanimal]

If it's mainly yard scraps, you can just pile it on the ground. There is a bunch of debate on turning, many well respected researchers saying that its not that effective at doing what it purports to be doing (aerating the compost). So you could just pile it on the ground and let it be.

[Lemur]

@theanimal

Ah good point. I was thinking I had to do something to contain the compost but appears that is not necessary...

https://youtu.be/nxTzuasQLFo

I've the luxury of a backyard so I can get at this. Sweet...won't even bother with the bin now.

[mountainFrugal]

I made a simple three bin system out of some old pallets. The design is made to rotate the compost through, but realistically we just alternate which bin we throw kitchen scraps into and mix in some leaves. The microbe party does the rest. We just dig down a bit to get the decomposed stuff to put next to plantings. If you have a very large amount of material to compost, turning can help as it also helps break things down into smaller pieces.

[JenDuck]

I’m not sure I would bother with wire mesh if you use small enough holes? Perhaps more holes but smaller ones…

[ducknald_don]

We used a bin like that for kitchen waste. I drilled some holes in the bottom then buried it about six inches deep to stop the rodents. The compost bins available in the UK all have a door at the bottom which makes them useless if you have rats nearby.

[Gilberto de Piento]

Did anyone end up making a trash can composter? How did it work out?

I'm thinking about buying a galvanized steel can and drilling holes in it. There is a version I could buy but it isn't very big and is expensive. https://www.acehardware.com/departments ... bins/70833. I can buy a galvanized steel can that is 50% bigger for half the price and drill my own holes.

I can't use a regular plastic bin composter or a diy open bin because rats chew holes in it and use it as a house. They moved into both the plastic bin type and the spinning drum type. There are rat proof metal composters I've seen but they are very expensive and it doesn't look like they hold much. Example https://speedibin.com/

[Gilberto de Piento]

I bought a steel garbage can and turned it into a composter. I went with this one https://www.behrens.com/product/31-gall ... ility-can/ for about $34 from home depot.

I drilled roughly 100 3/16" holes all over the sides and bottom. The problem with this was that it basically made the inside of the can into a cheese grater with sharp pieces of metal sticking out everywhere. I knocked those down with a sander but a grinder or drilling the holes again from the inside would have worked too. The metalworking wasn't much fun and probably took 30 minutes. This project would be better if there was an easy way to pop holes in the can w no cleaning up little sharp bits of metal from the ground after

Some of the people who've tried this report the bottom rusting out so I cut a piece of coroplast (corrugated plastic yard sign) I to a circle, punched holes in it, and put it in the bottom to try to keep the compost from direct contact w the metal. I set it up on three short bricks to keep it off the dirt and encourage good drainage. On a bed of gravel also would have worked.

Will update with results if I remember.

[sky]

What kind of soil did you use?

[Gilberto de Piento]

What kind of soil did you use?

I dug a shovel or two of soil out of the ground and put it in the bin to hopefully add some helpful bacteria, etc. Is that what you are asking about? I also added a couple scoops of dry leaves. The primary purpose of this bin is to consume kitchen scraps so lots of vegetable, fruit, coffee grounds and eggshells will be added soon.

I have another larger compost pile that I yard waste in, stuff like dry leaves and wet green leaves from cutting down vegetation in the fall. It is just four stakes holding up a ring made out of garden fencing. It is maybe 3 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide. The rats don't get into it because they aren't interested in leaves.

[sky]

OK, I was thinking it was a worm bin.