how to use a plastic compost bin

You can make your own bin from household materials such as scrap wood and wire mesh or simply repurpose one of your trash cans. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on this. Her articles have appeared in "The Rogue Voice," "Information Press" and "The Tribune." For square bins you can use a combination of your drill and the existing aeration holes to thread your cable ties through the mesh and the plastic of the compost bin. DIY Worm Compost Bins. Drain off the liquid and dilute it in your watering can … There are two types of composting: Hot and cold. Decomposers need oxygen to survive. Our Quick Tips video guide outlines a few things to bear in mind before you go ahead. Compost bins may be simple in design or fancy and complex. Unlike plastic or metal, wood both absorbs and releases moisture. How to Make the Compost Bin Get your plastic bins. As a regular contributor to Natural News, many of Hatter's Internet publications focus on natural health and parenting. Compost turners are available, but a pitchfork or shovel will suffice. Saturate the green compost ingredients with water. The material they use is supposed to be safe, but after months and months of having microbes and bacteria eating at the inside while sitting in the hot sun, I wonder just how safe it really is. Once started, a compost bin is easy to maintain. It really is the perfect solution when space is at a premium, and especially for those weekend gardeners who only need a little bit of compost to help their vegetables or flowers. When we think of plastic compost bins, our mind automatically goes to the clunky black or … Add moisture to the pile as needed. If you’re using a plastic barrel, the weight of the compost inside your tumbling composter can break the plastic, so before inserting the pipe through the holes secure two slabs of wood to the barrel to distribute the weight of the compost. Once you've drilled your holes, find a good spot for your compost bin. Kathryn Hatter is a veteran home-school educator, as well as an accomplished gardener, quilter, crocheter, cook, decorator and digital graphics creator. A compost bin is a receptacle used to hold compost during the compost-making process. Not everything belongs in the bin, however. Fertilizer Made From Decaying Dead Plants & Table Scraps, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Composting, National Resources Conservation Services: Composting. But having two bins also gives you a place to store finished compost to use as needed. Stir the ingredients one more time and close the bin. Decomposing organisms require moisture to survive and do an adequate job. Instead of water pooling at the bottom or sides of a non-porous bin (which severely slows decomposition), a wood compost bin can wick it away. When creating your compost mixture, most experienced gardeners try to create a ratio of 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen. Peck holds a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and a minor in biology from San Diego State University. A compost bin is a receptacle used to hold compost during the compost-making process. Once you have a plastic composter installed in your garden, they are relatively simple to use. The closer your compost ratio is to this recommendation, the faster the compost will form. Using a drill with a 2- or 3-inch hole saw, drill holes all the way around the trash can (lid, bottom, and sides) roughly 6 to 12 inches apart. Head over to your local department store or home improvement center and buy two large plastic... Power up your drill. Step 8. A compost bin is a healthy addition to the garden. You want your bin to be able … Food Waste Digester. Repurposed Plastic Tote Compost Bin. Multiple colors. Generally it is an imbalance of brown to green materials and the addition of more brown materials will solve the problem. We went… Choose the best bin for your needs. Create a properly-sized compost area. Conventional compostinginvolves mixing organic waste in an optimum ratio of 30 parts carbon to one part nitrogen in the presence of moisture and air. This means that most of your compost ingredients should be brown ingredients, with just a little green ingredients added to facilitate decomposition. Keep the holes a couple of centimetres apart — ideally you want to lace-up at least 2 mesh squares when pulling it tight. Other items to put in the compost bin include cow or horse manure, cardboard rolls, clean paper, coffee filters, cotton and wool rags, dryer and vacuum cleaner lint, eggshells, hair, fur, hay, straw, nut shells, sawdust, shredded newspaper, tea bags, wood chips and yard trimmings. Brown ingredients include dried leaves, sawdust, pine needles and newspaper. Make sure you consider the aesthetic of your garden and the amount and type of material you'll be composting. The bin is ventilated and includes a wind protective lid, feed opening and a handy flap to withdraw the compost from. Before you choose a compost bin, you’ll need to decide if you want to use the conventional composting method or vermicomposting (worm composting). You can purchase a simple premade bin from a garden center for a reasonable price. Pour approximately 2 inches of green compost ingredients (the nitrogen content) to the compost bin. Manure has higher nitrogen content than kitchen scraps or grass clippings. Place your bin in an area that is close to your home and near a hose or water source. Pour approximately 2 inches of green compost ingredients (the nitrogen content) to the compost bin. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Cold composting simply requires collecting materials in a bin and letting them naturally decompose over the course of a year. Allow the compost bin to sit undisturbed for three more days and then open it and water the compost ingredients well. Allow it to sit for two to three days and then open it. Lift the container off the pile, set it aside, and fork or shovel the organic matter back in. Envirocycle The Most Beautiful Composter in The World. Green materials, such as grass clippings and food waste are high in nitrogen. Read more. A bin need not be fancy or expensive. Insert the thermometer into the pile's center; turn the pile when the temperature is between 130 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. The plastic compost bins are available in the market, and they are so expensive and now you can cut the cost of it by creating one of same style compost bin on your own. Steer clear of meat products including fish and bones, dairy products, dog and cat feces, black walnut tree leaves or twigs, coal or charcoal ash, eggs, diseased or insect-infested plants, fats, grease, lard, or oils and yard trimmings containing chemical pesticides. BPA and rust free. If the amount of material has decreased, add another layer of both brown and green ingredients to fill it up again. Add one shovel-full of prepared compost to the bin to help the composting process begin. Simply add your organic waste to the bin, where the moisture and heat will allow it to decompose faster, and over time, this will generate a fresh batch of compost. Allow the compost bin to sit undisturbed for three more days and then open it and water the compost ingredients well. Mix all of the ingredients well with the garden spade. Plastic. Hatter has also had publication on home improvement websites such as Redbeacon. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Make a compost bin using a plastic storage container. Compost bins remind cooks to reduce food waste and are stylish and odor-controlling enough to keep on the kitchen counter. Once you’ve picked a plastic compost bin for your garden, all you need to do is start adding waste to it to get the ball rolling. Layer green and brown materials into the bin, making each layer 2 to 4 inches thick (see References 2). In order to get the right amount of air into your compost pile, your compost heap needs to be a certain size. The site and container. The bins come in a variety of shapes, including flat sided, square and rectangular. A Dalek Bin is a lightweight plastic compost bin, often made from recycled plastic, with a lid at the top and usually with a hatch at the bottom and no base. All Rights Reserved. Higher-end systems have more extensive features, such as built-in rotation devices — ideal for those with inadequate time for turning the pile or those who have difficulty lifting. If the last 2 models were simply too small for what you have in mind, … It is important that the site is not subjected to extremes of temperature and … We keep finished compost in one bin, and the new pile in the other. Turn the pile at least once weekly. Get Dirty. If you don’t have a tote that you can use, hit up the Dollar Store or watch for those after Christmas sales. For example, if you plan to compost large amounts of food waste, you'll need a bin that can keep out wild animals like raccoons. Sawdust has very high carbon content and dried leaves have considerably lower carbon content. In order to thrive, they need carbon, nitrogen, moisture and oxygen. If you use too much water your compost starts to smell. Some bins tumble to redistribute the compost within the bin and some bins are stationary and a gardener must stir the compost within the bin. Open it once per week to stir the ingredients or rotate it once per week. Bacteria, fungi, worms, nematodes and sow bugs are examples of decomposing organisms. The compost materials should not be overly wet, but should resemble a wrung-out sponge. 1. As long as the pile is able to heat up adequately, you can turn it as frequently as every two days (see References 2). Overview. Both methods will produce rich compost for your garden, but the method you choose depends on your available space and lifestyle. Continue adding more ingredients until your compost bin is almost full. Close the compost bin again and allow it to sit again for three more days. The bin should be in an area that allows for easy turning and use without detracting from the garden visually. Bins for a DIY Compost Tumbler. Stir the ingredients with the garden spade. (See References 2) Resulting compost is a nutrient-rich humus that provides sustenance to your plants. Now the very important step of moistening your compost. These holes will provide the airflow and oxygen necessary to enhance the composting process. Take your soil and dirt and sprinkle a layer on top of … Organic waste you can and … Brown materials are rich in carbon and include fallen leaves, paper and small twigs. Add more brown ingredients and green ingredients in the same ratio if your compost bin will hold more material. These bins are thin-walled plastic, and may chip along the edges, especially during a freeze. Saturate each layer with water as you add each layer. Place some shredded newspaper or dry leaves on the bottom of your compost bin, filling it about 1/8 – 1/4 full. Turning the pile allows oxygen to circulate throughout the pile and speeds the composting process. Grab the 10-gallon storage bin, the redwood square rod of 60″ in length, 9″ … (See References 1). With single bins or barrels, that simply can’t be done. Dead leaves, branches and twigs are examples of brown materials. Drill Holes. Drill ⅛-inch sized holes every three inches along all four sides of the plastic containers. Repeat this two more times for a total of nine days of sitting time with stirring and watering in between. Turn an old plastic tote into a compost bin! Cut materials into small pieces to speed the process of decomposition. Bad smells indicate a problem. Green materials include plant remnants, fruit and vegetable scraps and coffee grounds. Stir the ingredients one more time and close the bin. Place your compost bin in a convenient location where you will easily be able to access the compost when it is finished curing. These bins are inexpensive, but it is difficult to turn the compost, so it can take several months to produce compost. Now let’s add dirt on top of your base. Walmart normally … Add the brown compost ingredients (the carbon content) to the compost bin first. Get our eco-friendly favorites. Cover the compost bin. Made in … To turn the pile, move outside items towards the middle. Based in California, Andrea Peck has been writing science-related articles since 2006. Most tumbling compost bins that you can buy are plastic. Decomposition is a natural occurrence, but composting speeds the process by creating an environment suitable … Add more brown ingredients and green ingredients in the same ratio if your compost bin will hold more material. Place a large saucepan, another garbage-can lid or some other container underneath the elevated compost bin to collect water. A location that is near your growing areas and near an outdoor hose would be an ideal place to set up a compost bin. Goplus Outdoor Composter. Keep the compost bin enclosed for the next two months. Dogs and other animals should not be allowed near the compost pile. Good materials are the key to good compost. High carbon ingredients, or “browns,” include shredded newspaper, co… All you need to do now is set the bin on the blocks and fill the bottom with gravel and start filling it with your biodegradable waste. Just use a spray bottle full of lukewarm water to moist your compost but not soaking wet. This nutrient-rich compost tea can be used for watering plants. Pour approximately 2 inches of green compost ingredients (the nitrogen content) to the compost bin. Saturate each layer with water as you add each layer. This durable, 100% recycled plastic compost bin holds 110 gallons of compost. Movable composters: Movable bins are nice if you have just one container and want to turn your compost regularly to aerate or remoisten it. If you have a rotating compost bin, rotate it. Consider the seasons. Made in Germany, the Eco King 110 Gallon Compost Bin turns kitchen waste into nutrient rich compost for your flower beds or vegetable garden. Compost that has sufficiently cured is dark, crumbly and smells of the earth. Position the Bin. It always insures we have a working pile for new materials, and ready to finished compost when needed. Decomposition is a natural occurrence, but composting speeds the process by creating an environment suitable for bacteria and microorganisms. Hot composting "fast-cooks" the materials with nitrogen, carbon, air, and water to create compost in only a few months. Add water to the brown ingredients and stir them with the garden spade to incorporate the water throughout all of the brown ingredients. Now cover the plastic compost bin with its tight lid. Our Quick Tips video guide outlines a few things to bear in mind before you go ahead. Regardless of the design, all compost bins serve the same basic purpose of holding the compost while it forms. You will want your heap to be about 3 feet (0.91 m) tall, wide, and long. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →. The simple and effective Eco King Compost Bin boasts a large capacity for a low price. A compost bin is a healthy addition to the garden. I opted for a metal bin, just to be safe. A compost thermometer can help you determine when the pile is ready for turning. Green ingredients include kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, grass clippings and manure. Inclement weather may hamper your ability to deposit food waste or other compostable materials. This plastic compost bin is made from 100% recycled materials and is designed to take up minimum ground space in the garden. Add one shovel-full of prepared compost to the bin to help the composting process begin. Place 8 to 10 inches of brown compost ingredients into the bottom of the compost bin. Continue adding more ingredients until your compost bin is almost full. Thinking of using a plastic dustbin to make garden compost? Thanks to its … Check the compost after two months to determine if it is ready to use. 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