Category: gardening

What is a Compost Bin? It is usually a bin or containment designed to facilitate the decomposition of organic matter in a controlled manner. The process entails the conversion of organic materials such as leftover food and garden wastes are into humus. Humus is a soil-like material.

Composting is an essential part of sustainable gardening. It is typically performed by natural decomposers such as bacteria, fungus and insects. Ideally, a compost pile must be at least 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Anything smaller than that may dry up too fast for the process to occur effectively.

The stuffs that can be composted include:

Hay, grass, lawn clipping, kitchen leftovers, sawdust and leaves.

It is possible for composting to take place on the open ground. However that is not very sightly. Therefore, some kind of containment is preferred. That containment is called a compost bin.

The following is a list of possible way to make inexpensive compost bin.

A compost heap

1. Leaf Mold Bin.

Firstly, form an approximately 30 inch wide piece of '2 x 4' inch mesh welded wire into a 30 inch diameter circle. Next fastened the ends of the wire together. It is possible to use wider wire as well. Add the organic matter to be composted into the newly made bin. Let these organic stuffs settle and continue to add material. Stop added when it is full . To sheid the stuffs, you can cover the bin with plastic. This method will take a while to decompose.

2. Concrete or brick Blocks.

This is the most expensive of all the methods. But it also produce the most durable bins.

Stack the blocks into the desired shape. As an option, they can be fixed in place with mortar as a wall. Stack them with the holes vertical on most of the blocks, turning a few with the holes horizontal for ventilation. A smart way of building is to create several bins side by side. This will save some materials because of sharing of adjacent walls.

3. Bullington Bin.

This method requires two steel t-posts and some concrete-reinforcing wire. The post should be about 6 feet long each. Pound the t-posts in the ground. Keep them about 4 feet away from each other. Next, secure one end of the wire panel to each of the posts and then you have an open-sided bin with easy access and easy to move. An ideal for the wire is twenty foot. The concrete reinforcing wire is usually five feet wide. A sixteen foot long livestock stockade panel also is ideal for usage here. Secure the wire to the posts with wire or plastic wire ties.

4. Stacking of poles.

This is a easy method to make. Basically poles are stacked on top of one another to form 4 walls. To secure the walls in place, drill holes in the ends of the poles. Next insert rods through the holes to keep them in place.

What can the eventual compost be used as? Compost can be used as fertilizers and soil amendments. Addtionally they can also be used as mulch.

Mulch save water by preventing fast drying of soil by sun and wind. Mulch also acts as nutrients for the soil too.

Well, that is all. Hope that you have found the article useful