A homemade compost bin is budget-friendly, easy to make, and will enrich your soil. Keep reading to learn how to make a compost bin, what items can be added to it, and how long the decomposition process takes.
The first thing you want to do is create some airflow. Drill 10-12 holes, evenly spaced out in the bottom of your bin. You’ll also want to drill some holes near the top of the bin on all four sides. If you don't have a drill, a hammer and screwdriver will work too.
You want to set the stage for your DIY compost. At the bottom, you’re going to put dried leaves, shredded paper, or shredded cardboard. Now add some soil. I used regular potting soil. Pour 1-2″ of soil in your bin to start the decomposition process.
Add your food scraps! Try to keep it to raw fruit and vegetable scraps for best results. Adding worms is completely optional, but they’ll definitely make the process speedy. Click through to find out which food scraps to avoid.
When it comes to composting, you want to keep a good mixture of food scraps and paper. 50/50 is a really good goal. Every week you’re going to want to water your compost pile and mix it up. I use an old spatula to toss my food scraps around to keep things combined.
Over time, your food scraps will break down into a nutrient-rich soil. You can use your compost for your house plants or garden. If you don’t have a garden or house plants, list your compost on craigslist, freecycle, bunz app, or a buy nothing group. I promise it will be snapped up QUICK!