How to Make an Outdoor Compost Bin for FREE

Green City Living Co. DIY eco home eco-friendly zero waste

Today, we wanted to show you how can make your life a little greener (or a little browner in this case...) with a DIY outdoor compost bin! It costs $0 and is so easy to put together!

There are so many amazing benefits to creating your own compost bin!

1. Composting is great for the environment as it reduces the waste that would typically end up in landfills!

2. It will save you lots of money on soil and fertilizers for your garden since you will have your very own nutrient-rich fertilizer in your compost bin!

 

How to Make Your Own Compost Bin

~Pick Your Bin & Location~

You can use any large size bin that has a lid or covering. I would recommend using an old one from your home or you can try finding one at a second-hand shop or garage sale (you can always build a compost bin from wood if you have extra supplies you'd like to use up). Once you have your bin, pick the location for it in your backyard. I'd suggest placing it in a convenient location so that you can access it whenever you need it!

~Assemble the Bin~

It's time to prep your bin for composting! First, you'll need to drill 8-10 holes on the lid of your bin. Repeat this process on the bottom side of your compost bin. This will help with the airflow. Feel free to drill some holes on the sides of your compost bin too. The more airflow, the happier the compost bin.

 

~Create the Base~

In the bottom of your compost bin, add dry leaves or shredded newspaper until it's filled about 1/8 – 1/4 of the bin. Then, add dirt on top of the leaves or newspaper until the container is 1/2 full. We used the dirt from our garden!

 

~Filling your Bin~

It's time to grab your food scraps or paper products that you’d like to compost and add them to your bin. Make sure to research what you can and cannot compost in your city. I gathered egg shells, dryer lint, banana peels, coffee grinds, avocado skins, and threw them in.

 

~Mix & Moisten~

The last step is to grab a shovel or stick and give your compost bin a good mix! You want to make sure the food scraps are covered in dirt. Then, give the mixture a spray with lukewarm water until moist, but not soaking wet. (Note: too much water can cause your compost to smell).

 

How to Make Use of Your Compost Bin

Besides creating a space for food scraps to decompose you can also use your compost mixture as an inexpensive and nutrient-rich fertilizer. After about 2-3 months, the compost will be ready to use for your garden. It can be used as mulch or potting soil and can also be sprinkled over the grass as a lawn fertilizer. Remember to save at least 1/3 of the compost mixture so that you can keep the composting process going.

*Photos are taken from www. younghouselove.com

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