How to Build and Use a Compost Barrel
Making your own compost is a great alternative to throwing everything away, even if you have limited space. By creating compost you will also have your own fertilizer on hand for feeding your garden and potted plants. A compost bin or barrel will hold green, brown and organic matter. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 20, 30 by 6 inch boards at ½ inch thick Four square dowels 1 by 1 inch and 30 inches long 40, 2-inch screws 35 by 35 inch piece of plywood Hand drill
Instructions
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Construct the compost bin by drilling the 30 by 6 inch boards to the inside corner dowels. At the end of each board, from the outside, drill a screw into the inner dowel. You will need to slightly stagger the screws because there will be a screw coming in from the adjacent board, too.
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Leave the bin without a bottom as it is beneficial to the compost. It allows microorganisms in the soil to move up through the contents of the bin.
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Place the 35 by 35 inch piece of plywood over the top to prevent animals from getting in by storing it with a large rock on top to hold it down. This also serves to keep the heat inside and keep out heavy rains.
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Layer the compost bin by placing several stems and brushy plants on the bottom to improve drainage and air circulation.
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Add a layer of green items such as fruit and veggie scraps and grass cuttings and brown matter such as leaves, cardboard and egg cartons. Items should be cut into small pieces if not naturally small.
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Wet the items you add if they aren't already wet.
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Keep adding layers. You can also add things such as sawdust, weeds, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells, newspaper, old straw or pet rodent bedding and wool. Do not add things such as meat, fish, glossy newsprint, charcoal ash, diseased plants, diapers or pet feces.
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Turn the compost layers occasionally with a pitchfork. Add water if it looks dry and add bulky items if it looks drenched. The bottom layers decompose over several months and you can then use those layers in your garden and potted plants. You should be able to tilt the wood bin to get to the bottom layers that are ready for use.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Photo by Peter Anderson, drawings by the author
