Question about homemade compost bin

[lukeout007]

So I'm trying to get a compost bin going but I don't want to spend a fortune on the retail ones. I was reading something that said you can use a large plastic tote (like the rubbermaid ones) with a lid that has holes drilled in it and a second one with no holes for underneath to catch the water that leaks out.

This idea sounds awesome and I plan to do it but my question is about which type of totes I can use? Can I use the clear plastic ones or do they have to be solid colored so that it's dark inside? Does light hurt compost?

[Bobberman]

I like a 40 or 50 gallon garbage container or better yet a 50 gallon plastic drum. You can roll it every two weeks to mix! Put a few holes in bottom for drainage. Also concrete block 16 inches high about a 4by 4 feet will take 24 block at $1.25 each!

[ElizabethB]

Luke - What you use depends on how much compost you want. Bins or garbage cans will only give you a limited amount. G built 2 bins from scrap lumber and chicken wire - 2 4'x4'x4' bins adjacent to each other. He helped my neighbor build bins from pallets that she picked up for no $ at big box stores + chicken wire. A drill, some screws and a staple gun and staples. Very easy to work with. The back and sides are 4'x4'. The front of the bins are 12". Very easy to turn from one bin to the other.

Just a suggestion. An easy DIY project for little $ and more compost.

Good luck

[rainbowgardener]

Unless you are doing worm composting, composting in totes doesn't work real well. Just not enough space for how much material you need to have for good composting.

See the thread here: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 35&t=56957

for information about various compost bins


and this thread for composting basics: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 35&t=56881

[rainbowgardener]

I thought about this more, and I'm thinking what you were reading was about worm bins (vermicomposting), the double tote set up you describe is very typical worm bin. For a worm bin, you put your drain holes and air holes in the bin, add a whole bunch of moistened bedding (e.g. shredded paper or crunched up fall leaves) add a whole bunch of earthworms (I just get mine from my compost pile, but you can buy them). Add some kitchen scraps to feed them and then another layer of bedding. For the worm bin, it should not be clear plastic. Then you just keep adding more kitchen scraps, maybe a cup full at a time, and watering occasionally to keep things moist.

In the bottom bin will be the drippings, which are also very nutrient rich for your plants. And in the top, the worms will be busily processing your kitchen scraps into worm castings, which are a wonderful soil amendment.