The other day I went to a hardware store to look at the price of compost bins, they cost anywhere from $50-700. I was seriously shocked; it’s just a bin to put my food waste. I decided just to make my own and save tons of money and I have the extra time.
This project cost about $20 and took about 30 minutes, so not to bad.
Items
Plastic Storage Bin – It also doesn’t matter what size, if you think you’ll have a lot of waste use a large one, not to much use a small one. Smallest I would recommend is 15 gallons. I’d recommend the Sterilite 72 Qt Storage Tote.
Phillips Head Drill Bit or Screwdriver
Hammer
Worms – about 20 worms
Dirt – I just used some from my backyard, filled the bottom about 2 inches. You can also use potting mix, instead of digging up your yard.
Water
Compost – See Below
Directions
Take all of your materials outside, you don’t want to make a mess in your living room
Take the lid off of the storage bin, then grab the Philips head and hammer
You will need to make holes for air to makes its way into the bin, space them about one inch apart of each other. See picture below
Set the storage bin lid to the side, grab the storage bin and place one of the larger sides on the ground and the opening facing you.
Grab the Philips head and hammer again, now as you did with the lid, make holes every inch to allow air, then flip and do this to the other large side
Fill the bin with the dirt & compost
Add water, just enough to make the dirt damp, don’t let the dirt dry out, make sure it is always moist
Add worms
Place the lid on the bin, set outside in the shade or out of the way
Make sure to turn the soil and compost at least once a week, to make sure everything is being eaten and the soil is being freshened.
Compost
Eggshells
Lawn Clippings
Newspaper
Junk Mail, non-glossy
Paper
Fruit & peelings
Vegetables & peelings
Coffee grinds with Filter
Tea leaves with Bag
Hair
Paperbags
Leaves
Small branches
Don’t Compost
Citrus
Glossy Paper
Oil (coconut, vegetable, olive, car, etc)
Dairy
Meat/Seafood
Bones
Cardboard
Soiled Paper Towels/Napkins
Junk Food
Candy
Cat Litter
Plastic Bags
Recyclable Material (Glass, Plastic, Etc)
Alcohol
**When winter comes and if you live in a place where the ground does freeze bring the bin inside! We just keep ours in the basement, it does not smell.**
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Compost Bin – Inside
Compost Bin filled.
The top of the compost bin
The Compost Bin all finished.
DIY Compost Bin, less than $20. #DIY #Compost The other day I went to a hardware store to look at the price of compost bins, they cost anywhere from $50-700.