How to Make a Compost Bin From a Garbage Can

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Compost is nothing more than decomposed plant material, so you don't need a fancy bin to make your own compost. You can create compost in a heap on the ground, but most gardeners think that containing your compost pile makes it look tidier. Here's how to make compost in a recycled garbage can.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Bricks
Bricks
Garbage Cans
Garden Hoses
Old Newspapers

Step 1

Punch holes in a garbage can. The microbes that actually do the composting need oxygen to do their work.
Step 2

Chop plant debris into small pieces and place them inside the garbage can. Ideally, you should use 50 percent green material and 50 percent dry, but you can use shredded newspaper for the dry material if necessary. You don't need to fill the can all at one time - just put in the plant material you have on hand.
Step 3

Spray water over the chopped plant material inside the can, until the material is damp but not soggy.
Step 4

Put the lid on the can.
Step 5

Place the filled garbage can on bricks or several 2-by-4-inch pieces of lumber to keep the can off the ground and prevent it from rusting.
Step 6

Turn the can as often as daily, or at least once a week. Lay the can on its side and roll it around to mix the plant material inside.
Step 7

Add more plant material at any time.
Step 8

Keep the compost about as moist as a wrung-out sponge by spraying it with water when the plant material begins to feel dry.
Step 9

Harvest your compost after one month. Use a wire screen or piece of chicken wire to strain out the unfinished compost.

Comments

sarahpb said

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on 6/3/2009 What kind of trash can? metal or plastic?

murch5678 said

on 5/10/2009 Good tips on making your own compost bin. You can also put used coffee grounds and vegetable trash (uncooked) in your compost bin.

slg2858 said

on 5/9/2009 I have 2 going at the same time. When the first one is done, I start adding to the new one. Keep the rotation going. 1.The holes can be made by a drill just do tons of them all over and you don't have to keep turning it everyday. 2.If yo use the top you won't need to spray it w/water. 3.Most important to keep the smell down, cover it with the brown matter!

Merriment said

on 5/8/2009 This is a great idea. I've been considering different alternatives for building a compost bin, and I actually have some garbage cans that I don't use. I really like how easy and cleaner it sounds to roll the compost to mix it up. I think I'll do this today! Thank you for a great suggestion.