Garden Essentials: How to Make a Compost Bin

For the serious gardener, hobby farmer, or homesteader, top-quality compost is worth its weight in gold. This supercharged soil amendment is packed with beneficial nutrients that help your plants thrive. If you want to create your own supply for your property, follow this guide to learn how to make a compost bin.

What is Composting?

Composting is a way to recycle organic matter like yard waste and food scraps into a fertilizer that can be used in your garden. It creates optimal conditions for a natural decomposition process where organic materials are broken down by microorganisms aided by oxygen. The resulting compost helps build healthier soil, prevent soil erosion, conserve water, and improve plant growth.

How to Make a Compost Bin

If compost is so valuable, it must be complicated, right? Wrong. Composting requires minimal effort and equipment, reduces waste, and limits your need for other fertilizers and pesticides. Get started building your own bin and follow these instructions.

The Basics of a Compost Bin

There are four main ingredients needed for a successful compost bin. They are:

Browns. “Browns” are carbon-rich materials such as dry leaves, shredded newspaper or cardboard, wood chips, pine needles, plant stalks, and straw.
Greens. “Greens” are nitrogen-rich materials like fruit and vegetable scraps, fresh grass clippings, eggshells, coffee grounds, and animal manure.
Water. Moisture is needed by bacteria to aid in the decomposition process.
Air. Oxygen is also critical to a healthy compost, helping materials decompose faster. Insufficient oxygen can also lead to unpleasant odors in your bin.

You can add materials to your compost bin as they become available, but you don’t want to overload it with too many browns or greens. Generally it’s a good rule of thumb to aim for two parts brown to one part green. Items you should keep out of your compost bin include meat, bones, dairy products, pet waste, treated wood, and aggressive weeds.

Compost Bin Styles

Compost bins come in many forms. Depending on the materials available to you and your property’s size and layout, certain styles may be more appealing than others. These are some of the most common compost bin styles:

Compost heap. The compost heap is probably the most simple setup. All you need to do is find a spot on your land and start piling up your organic materials there. It can be a slightly slower option as it doesn’t retain heat and moisture as well as bins, and is more exposed to the elements.
Wire mesh bin. With some basic wire fencing, you can create a circular container for your compost in any circumference that works for you. This is a popular way to begin composting on a small scale to get started.
Wood pallet bin. Building a compost bin is a great way to repurpose wood pallets. You just need four pallets of the same size to create the sides of the bin, and connect them so at least one side can be removed to move or harvest the compost.
Store-bought bin. There are many pre-made compost bins available to buy, often made from plastic or other durable materials. Off-ground options can help keep pests out of your compost bin, while rotating drums help to mix the compost and enhance decomposition.

Really the only limit to the style of your compost bin is your imagination. You can use all kinds of leftover building materials to create the size and shape you want. As long as you have the right mix of ingredients, the natural processes will do their work.

How to Set Up Your Compost Bin

Once you’ve selected the style of bin you want for your property, it’s time to start composting. While the process can vary slightly depending on your approach, these are the basic steps to follow to set your compost bin up for success.

Select your location. Location is an important factor in effective composting. Look for an area where the bin will receive several hours of sunlight each day and has unrestricted air flow on at least two of the sides.
Establish a base. If your compost bin sits directly on the ground, clear the area underneath so it’s easier for earthworms and microbes to enter. Then, lay down a four to six-inch base layer of materials like twigs and straw.
Start adding organic materials. This is where the rubber meets the road. Start layering in your brown and green materials as you have them available. Remember, as a general guideline you want a 2:1 ratio of brown to green.
Maintain the compost. Maintenance of a compost bin is fairly simple. Monitor moisture levels, adding water weekly if it’s getting too dry. You’ll also need to turn the compost every 2-4 weeks to promote proper oxygenation and speed up the process.
Let the compost do its work. With all of these elements in place, the organic materials in your compost bin will continue breaking down over time. Every bin varies based on conditions, but a brand new bin may take four to six months to get established. Then, within eight to 12 months you should have compost ready to harvest.
Harvest your compost. You know your compost is ready to harvest when it looks and smells like soil. It should be a dark brown color and easily crumble in your hands. Once you’ve reached this state, mix it into your garden beds and soil for planting!

Connect With Yanmar

At Yanmar, we want to help you get the most from your land. From essential equipment like tractors, UTVs, and tractor attachments to how-to guides like this article, we’ve got the resources you need to reach your goals. Please don’t hesitate to connect with us online or give us a call at 678-551-7369.

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