How to Build a Backyard Composter

You can make lemonade out of lemons and compost out of organic scraps.

Composting bins keep you supplied with fresh, nutrient-rich compost to plant in your garden. A compost bin also allows you to recycle kitchen scraps and keeps them out of a landfill. You can a simple yet effective backyard composter yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Wire mesh
• 4 wooden stakes
• Staple gun
• Staples
• Hammer or mallet

Instructions

1. Choose an area for the compost bin that is not in full sun and can be reached by a garden hose, needed to keep the compost materials moist.

2. Sketch a design on paper. A square or rectangular shape works well for composting bins, since you can put wooden stakes in each of the four corners for support. A cube measuring 4 feet wide, long and tall works well to create the necessary volume for bacteria to break down the organic materials.

3. Create a materials list including a length of wire mesh that wraps around the four sides of the compost bin plus an extra 1 1/2 feet. Poultry netting works well but you can use another size mesh if you like. List four heavy-duty stakes 1 foot taller than the desired height of your composting bin and a staple gun with staples.

4. Fold the ends of the netting back on themselves at about 3 inches. This is to keep the cut ends from poking and cutting you as you reach into the finished backyard composter.

5. Staple one of the edges of folded-over netting down the length of the first post. Leave about 1 foot clear at the base of the post so you can hammer the stake into the ground.

6. Measure down the wire to the length you determined for one of the sides of your compost bin and staple the second post on the inside of the wire. Repeat this for the third post.

7. Finish your square by folding the wire and stapling the final edge of the wire to post #1. There is no need for a base since you want to encourage microorganisms to enter your backyard composter and break down the materials.

8. Hammer or pound with a mallet the four posts into the ground at the location you determined.

9. Fill up your backyard composter with add kitchen scraps and outdoor materials such as leaves and grass clippings. You want about a mix of dry and wet material inside the bin. Add some water if needed to the composting bin so that it attains the consistency of a well-wrung-out sponge.

References

• Cornell Cooperative Extension: Building Bins and Boxes for Compost
• University of Missouri Extension: How to Build a Compost Bin