Tutorial: Making a Storage Container Compost Bin

[teapot_rabbit]

I hesitate to even call this a tutorial, since it's basically me saying "drill a bunch of holes in a bin!" but I found my inspiration in a similar tutorial, so I'll pass along my improvements on the method.

Without further ado, here's how to turn a plastic storage container (Sterilite or similar) into a compost bin. The whole process takes less than ten minutes.



Gather your materials: a plastic storage container (I like the 30 gallon Sterilite containers because they're a good size and the handles make them easy to drag around the yard,) a drill with a 1/4 inch bit, and a pencil. (The pencil is really optional.)

The original tutorial I found had you using an x-acto knife to cut holes in the storage container. This seemed like a great way to cut your fingers off. A drill is safer, and faster.

To start, flip the container over and mark the locations for a few drainage holes:

As you can see, I used the marks from the plastic casting to get nice even placement. Drill the holes out.

Then flip the bin on its end...

And add a few ventilation holes underneath the handles.

Finally, add a bunch of ventilation holes to the lid.

Ta-da! Compost bin.

This will be my second such bin. I made the first one last year, and it's held up really well. The plan is to have them on six-month rotation, with one getting new material added and the other composting, but we'll see how that goes.

Comments

[msminlr.livejournal.com]

Do you roll the 'working' bin over every week, by way of stirring the mixture? I was looking at a composting drum website the other day; that seems to be part of the 'secret' of how those things work.

[teapot_rabbit]

I turned the compost over with a shovel (gardening fork would work better) every time I added new material. Several composting sites said that adding oxygen speeds the composting process because it encourages the good bacteria/fungus. I wanted to get a composting drum when I first started composting, but they're expensive! :)

[indeliblesasha]

This is really brilliant, and I so appreciate you posting it! We have a compost "pile" and while it's been doing really pretty good, it also really draws the squirrels and raccoons and that drive my (hunting breeds) dogs insane. I've been looking for a better option. This fit the bill perfectly.

[teapot_rabbit]

Hah, I can just imagine your dogs going bonkers. What breeds are they?

I live in the suburbs, and I have a small yard, so I had to do something enclosed and rat-proof. So far the opossums and raccoons haven't shown any interest in the first bin I made, and that one has been hanging around my yard for a year now.

[indeliblesasha]

HA. I saw what you did there ;) So I'll repost too. :D

Doc is a Treeing Walker Coonhound/Beagle and Jayne is a Wire-haired German Pointer/Chesapeake Bay retriever. He is old and grumpy and hates raccoons like he was bread for it (ha!) and she is huge and loud and wishes so bad the compost pile wasn't on the other side of the fence, she would really like to eat a squirrel. I gave them their own album in picasa. :D

I also love the idea of being able to move the buckets around, and have them closer to the house. We've been buried under snow for a couple weeks and the pile is at the back of the yard, not far, just cold and wet and I'd have to get through the snow to add the peels and such. SIGH. So, you know, hooray bucket I can have nearer the house! :D

[teapot_rabbit]

Heh, yes, sorry about that - I really need to change it so my dreamwidth notifications go to different email accounts... ;)

Those photos are SO CUTE! Jayne is the floppy shaggy beast? He looks like a noble hound. Our dog is supposedly a hunting breed (Shiba Inu) but so far has shown no interest in chasing anything but crows.

It's really nice to be able to take out the compost without ever leaving the shelter of the porch roof. :)

[indeliblesasha]

Yeah, Jayne's name was Jay when we adopted her, she'd had it it whole life so we decided to keep it...and wound up calling her Jane all the time without thinking. So I compromised and wound up with a nod to Firefly I didn't even know about LOL. We're pretty sure she fell asleep at 6 months and woke up 6 years old and believing she's a chihuahua. She's pretty ridiculous.

I know a couple of shibas. Basically they lay on the couch and demand affection. I'm pretty sure they're cats in disguise. :D

[indeliblesasha]

And while I'm thinking about it!

http://www.myearthgarden.com/2012/02/the-truth-about-coffee-grounds-in-your-garden/

Thought this might be of interest.

[amalnahurriyeh]

I did the x-acto knife thing.

It broke the x-acto knife.

I gotta get my brother to bring his drill next time he comes to visit. Also, I have to communicate to the landlord to STOP DUMPING OUT MY BIN FFS.