Ive been looking for instructions online for a homemade compost bin, but ive only found actual instructions that use wooden pallets. which would work.. but not really what i had in mind. ive read about some people using buckets, or trash bins, but havnt found instructions for that. Also i need a better instructions of things to put in it.. i know you can put any kind of natural things in it.. like veggies and paper and grass and leaves.. but do you have to put certain amounts of each things? or will it all break down eventually. also how long before you get useable compost? like, if i start a pile now with leaves and our rabbits bedding (aspen chips) will it be useable by spring when i want to start my garden?
2007-12-14 05:25:34 · 4 answers · asked by donny 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
I do 3 different things to compost - I have a bin (free from my local landfill), the ground hasn't frozen yet, so I also work the amendments directly into my garden let them compost on their own over the winter, next spring I will be ready to go! I also have a large pile of yard waste in an out of the way spot.
If you compost under perfect conditions, I have heard you can have compost in as few as 3 -5 weeks. My bin usually takes me a couple months and the big pile in the back takes several months.
As far as what to use, it is more important not to use certain things...no animal products (meat, dairy, animal waste), no oils, no coated papers. Leaves are great, veggies are great, yard waste (all those plants you need to cut back, grass clippings), shredded newspaper. The smaller the items are when you compost, the faster they will decompose (so shredded newspaper vs entire sheets). Your local library likely has a lot of great books on the subject as well.
2007-12-14 06:00:00 · answer #1 · answered by Mom of two 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What a wonderful experiment. Can you report back to us when finished? Compost is slower in providing the nutrients you want, so manure(compost) tea would be my choice for fast.(I'm impatient). I make my own, as others have instructed here) by putting compost in an old nylon hosiery, put this in a large barrel of water, and then use it as needed. Compost is available at Walmart's, or any nursery. You must make your own tea, so you would probably only have to purchase the container. I got a very nice one yesterday for $6.47 at the local market. A good size would be the approximate size of a bushel basket that you put wet clothes in. Good luck.
2016-05-23 23:04:32 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The other answers are just fine...
Over the years, we've had numerous compost heap systems... we've used heavy wire-mesh to form a "bin", we've had several plank-framed boxes, we've had a 50 gallon drum, we've bought one of the commercial plastic composters (worked fine, not enough volume), we've piled it loose, and now we've built a 3 sided concrete-block bin that we turn with the tractor.
ANYTHING other than metal, plastic, or animal products. We don't measure at all... just pile in on: grass clippings, garden clippings, horse manure, straw, hay, leaves, fire-place ashes, wood & bark chips.
The key is aeration and just alittle moisture !! Yes, you should have usable compost in a few months... though we do a two year rotation for BEST compost.
GOOD LUCK
2007-12-14 06:23:11 · answer #3 · answered by mariner31 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
just make a wood bin, with a wood floor that has air holes in it, [don,t use treated wood]
start piling it up, let it sit , it will start breaking down ,
when you notice steam coming off it turn it over, same thing again, let it sit, keep rotating it till it turns black,
or you can make one out of a 55 gal plastic drum , drill air holes in it, [small ones] roll it once a while,
2007-12-14 05:46:07 · answer #4 · answered by William B 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋