How to Make a Compost Bin

Creating a compost bin is a great solution for not only being more sustainable by reducing your food waste, but also providing rich soil for your garden. Building a compost bin is an excellent way to save on finances as it is an alternative to buying one and having someone install it in the selected area. Composting is not a complicated process; it takes green material such as coffee grinds, vegetables, fruits and weeds, and brown material such as newspaper, dry leaves and sticks and mixes it until all matter decomposes. The mixture is a nutritious substance that can improve your garden soil and feed plants. 

10 Straightforward Steps to Help You Make a Compost Bin

If you're ready to make your homemade compost bin, here are a few steps you need to take to be ready to start managing your waste. This is a great way to take a step towards living a zero-waste lifestyle.

Decide on the correct location

Before you start assembling and buying the material you need for the compost bin, decide on where you want to place the container. Depending on your chosen location, you will need different bins and varied decomposing ingredients. The various areas are:

Inside your house

If you do not have a yard, indoors is still a great option to set up a compost bin. Your compost bin will also be easily accessible, takes up a relatively small space, and lasts throughout the year regardless of the season because shading is constant. Besides, composting waste requires heat to break down the decomposing matter; during the winter, the process may be slower, but that’s where worms come in to play! Adding worms to your compost bin will help speed up the process as they’ll eat your food scraps and turn them into worm compost. An indoor compost bin will be advantageous because environmental changes do not disrupt the decomposing process.

Outside the house

If you have a yard and are ready to get dirty managing waste in your homestead, an outdoor compost bin is excellent. Nature has an organic way of recycling waste materials, and having an outdoor compost bin is the best way to get waste back to the soil.

You will need a water source around the area because you must keep adding a particular amount of water to the compost for the matter to decay. ¹

Outdoor composting will also serve you better because it's spacious and will let you create layers of finished compost and middle and fresh wastes in the same compost bin. You can easily add the finished compost as you prepare another layer.

Once you have identified an ideal location outdoors, the fun part begins! Let’s dive into the 10 steps to assembling your new compost bin.

Select your bin

Buy a plastic bin with a tight-fitting container. The lid will keep the critters away and keep the waste moist. You may choose a neutral color to make it fit in with your backyard colors.

Drill holes in the bin

Using a handheld drill, make several holes in the bottom of the bin to allow air circulation. Organic waste will always require oxygen to decay. Drill again on the lid, make several holes, and fit it back into the compost bin.

Create a brown base

Place some dry brown leaves into the container up to a quarter full of the container. You can mix both dry leaves and food waste like kitchen scraps.

Add a soil layer

You can choose to add soil directly on leaves or spread a newspaper before adding soil. Dirt will be readily available in your chosen area, but you can also buy a bag of topsoil. Add the soil into the composting bin until it is half full.

Add your compost material

Now you can add your food scraps and other organic material. You can add things like paper products, vegetables, and fruit waste, to the bin. Some of the best substances to decompose in your container are;

• Grass clippings and yard waste
• Fruit and vegetable food scraps
• Nutshells and eggshells
• Cardboards or paper
• Tea bags, coffee filters, or coffee grounds

Avoid pet waste and dairy products in your composting bin for best results. ²

Stir your compost

Stir the component a little with a stick or shovel. Also, ensure that all the food waste in the compost is covered with soil.

Add a little moisture

Add lukewarm water and ensure all corners are moist but not soaking wet. Note that your compost may start smelling if you add too much water. Try to keep the pile moist but not wet.

Place your compost bin in a convenient place

Place your homemade compost bin under a shade away from your house or backyard. Avoid placing it under direct sunlight as it will soon dry out the mixture.

Continue adding waste

Collect all organic waste from your home and add it to the compost bin. After adding everything, keep the container tightly covered so that the smell doesn't spread. After at least two weeks, be sure to stir your compost pile ³. This allows the center of the compost pile to “heat up” and complete the composting process.

When it comes to how to be more eco-friendly, making a compost bin will help you conserve the environment, save you money, and benefit your garden. We hope the tips we have provided will benefit you and help you make a compost bin. 

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References:

1. "Composting 101: How To Start Your Own Bin — Simple Ecology". Simple Ecology, 2022, https://www.simpleecology.com/blog/composting-101
2. "How To Build A Compost Bin (With Pictures) - Wikihow". Wikihow.Com, 2022, https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Compost-Bin
3. “Composting Can Improve Soil Health”. Illinois Extension, 2022, https://extension.illinois.edu/soil/composting#:~:text=Turning%20the%20pile%20is%20important,the%20materials%20has%20taken%20place
4. "Make This Super-Easy DIY Compost Bin In A Flash". Better Homes & Gardens, 2022, https://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/compost/diy-compost-bin/