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Making a home compost bin

abpanther

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Staff member
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20,784
Hey peeps,

Been watching the war on waste series with my kids and we're keen to try and make some positive changes so looking to make a compost bin at home.

There's plenty of guides out there and I've read a fair few, thinking of just drilling holes into a large plastic bin with a lid and using that. Been reading up on the ratio of brown/green waste, etc.

Just wanted to see if anyone here has any experience with it and has some useful tips, curious as to whether you need to invest in worms initially or it's a case of build it and they will come?

Thanks in advance
 

gUt

Coach
Messages
16,876
I've composted for years in a single black bin with no holes. Lately I've experimented with ag pipe wound down through the muck to allow for gas exchange and I think I want to get a new bin and fix the pipe internally. My tips:

NEVER add water, this produces evil, smelly, unusable slush. It gets all the water it needs from the veggies and grass.

A shady spot on bare earth works best. Some sun is ok but they generate their own heat.

No meat scraps. I've stopped adding egg shell too because it doesn't break down as fast but egg shell is generally ok.

We compost all vegetable kitchen scraps (cooked and raw) including things like bread/pasta. If I think something is too salty I won't chuck it in. Avocados sometimes have to go through twice.

I layer vege scraps with grass clippings and sometimes leaves. These compress over time. Once a layer of scraps is really breaking down and starting to stink, that's when I cover it with grass or whatever. Some people use newspapers but I don't.

Stirring it up to allow some gas exchange is ok but I rarely do it. If the compost I produce smells, it means I need to stir it up to get some oxygen in there and/or I haven't allowed enough time for it to process.

Compost should come out smelling like soil and be slightly moist and spongy. I guess it depends what you're putting in.

Be prepared for tomatoes and pumpkins to sprout from your compost! Whenever I use it I get volunteers which I stake up and eat. The best tomatoes are the ones you grow yourself. The kids get into it too.

I sometimes add horse or cow shit into the mix to get some bacteria going. I've never added worms - don't worry they'll get in there - but there's no harm in doing this.

Depending on most of the above, 6 months in the minimum I would wait before using it.

A lot of native plants and trees don't like the richness of compost to save it for your flowers and your fruit/vege garden. It's also great as a mulch or to help prepare a garden bed (gets the bacterial processes happening in the soil).
 

gUt

Coach
Messages
16,876
also be a bit careful when opening the bin and fungal spores are flying about. I've never heard of any harm from this but I wouldn't want the kids to get a lungful.
 

abpanther

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
20,784
I've composted for years in a single black bin with no holes. Lately I've experimented with ag pipe wound down through the muck to allow for gas exchange and I think I want to get a new bin and fix the pipe internally. My tips:

NEVER add water, this produces evil, smelly, unusable slush. It gets all the water it needs from the veggies and grass.

A shady spot on bare earth works best. Some sun is ok but they generate their own heat.

No meat scraps. I've stopped adding egg shell too because it doesn't break down as fast but egg shell is generally ok.

We compost all vegetable kitchen scraps (cooked and raw) including things like bread/pasta. If I think something is too salty I won't chuck it in. Avocados sometimes have to go through twice.

I layer vege scraps with grass clippings and sometimes leaves. These compress over time. Once a layer of scraps is really breaking down and starting to stink, that's when I cover it with grass or whatever. Some people use newspapers but I don't.

Stirring it up to allow some gas exchange is ok but I rarely do it. If the compost I produce smells, it means I need to stir it up to get some oxygen in there and/or I haven't allowed enough time for it to process.

Compost should come out smelling like soil and be slightly moist and spongy. I guess it depends what you're putting in.

Be prepared for tomatoes and pumpkins to sprout from your compost! Whenever I use it I get volunteers which I stake up and eat. The best tomatoes are the ones you grow yourself. The kids get into it too.

I sometimes add horse or cow shit into the mix to get some bacteria going. I've never added worms - don't worry they'll get in there - but there's no harm in doing this.

Depending on most of the above, 6 months in the minimum I would wait before using it.

A lot of native plants and trees don't like the richness of compost to save it for your flowers and your fruit/vege garden. It's also great as a mulch or to help prepare a garden bed (gets the bacterial processes happening in the soil).

Man that's awesome advice, thanks so much.

I've read people suggesting putting some ag pipe down the middle as you said, how would that work exactly? Does the pipe need to have holes in it and then pop out one end of the bin?

No water, got it. I did read not to put it somewhere with too much sunlight, I'll avoid putting meat in there, is dairy ok? I figured bread/pasta is ok, I want to chuck as much food waste into it as possible.

So regarding the set up, did you start with the brown stuff at the bottom (i.e. grass clippings, leaves, etc.), then food scraps, then soil? I assume once you start you don't add any more soil, just add food scraps then clippings/leaves on top like layers? How full should it be to start with?

I think I will drill holes into it and also get a bin with a lid that locks, that way I can lie it down and roll it around if necessary to get some gas exchange, that's what some of the guides recommended.

I've already got a vege garden going so more than happy to plant sprouts, I'll use the compost for the veggies/roses.

Just curious, how many people live with you? Just wondering if one bin is enough for a family of 5! Are you able to get all your scraps in there without it filling up?
 
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gUt

Coach
Messages
16,876
Man that's awesome advice, thanks so much.

Pleasure!

I've read people suggesting putting some ag pipe down the middle as you said, how would that work exactly? Does the pipe need to have holes in it and then pop out one end of the bin?

So I bought a compost bin which is I dunno is around the volume of those smaller wheelie bins I guess. I want to rivet the ag pipe to the inside winding down and criss crossing a couple of times in the middle. One end would poke above the level of the stuff inside but I wouldn't let it poke out the lid. Others might but I don't really want to breed flies. The bottom end would just sit on the ground at the bottom.

No water, got it. I did read not to put it somewhere with too much sunlight, I'll avoid putting meat in there, is dairy ok? I figured bread/pasta is ok, I want to chuck as much food waste into it as possible.

I think you want to avoid pretty much all animal protein and fat. It goes rancid and you're breeding the wrong bacteria. The smell would attract undesirables to your yard too I'm thinking.

So regarding the set up, did you start with the brown stuff at the bottom (i.e. grass clippings, leaves, etc.), then food scraps, then soil? I assume once you start you don't add any more soil, just add food scraps then clippings/leaves on top like layers? How full should it be to start with?

Mate I chucked the bin on a patch of grass under a tree, dumped the kitchen bucket into it and went from there. My theory was the food straight on the ground would get the insects and worms interested quick. There might be a theory as to what the correct way to go is, I dunno. Horse manure early on certainly gets the right germs and enzymes working on breaking down the vegetable matter.

I think I will drill holes into it and also get a bin with a lid that locks, that way I can lie it down and roll it around if necessary to get some gas exchange, that's what some of the guides recommended.

That sounds good but if the bottom is open ended how does that work?

I've already got a vege garden going so more than happy to plant sprouts, I'll use the compost for the veggies/roses.

Yep they love it, annuals and tropical plants do too.

Just curious, how many people live with you? Just wondering if one bin is enough for a family of 5! Are you able to get all your scraps in there without it filling up?

2 preteens, 2 adults and a 2 year old. Our one bin stays pretty much full all year, obviously things speed up in the warmer months. I reckon right now probably the bottom half is ready to use but I've got nowhere to put it just now. The amazing thing is it just levels itself out all year.
 

gUt

Coach
Messages
16,876
The thought strikes me if you compost a lot of citrus peel then the compost would overall have a low ph so if you have fussy plants you might want to test for this. I never have.
 

gUt

Coach
Messages
16,876
Also keep an eye on mice etc digging in there. I personally don't mind this too much because it means the merkins aren't raiding in the house plus they dig around and piss and shit in there which is all to the good, but it does mean you're indirectly breeding them.
 

muzby

Village Idiot
Staff member
Messages
45,708
If you want to generate the smelliest rotten mulch, be sure to use this:

images
 
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Also keep an eye on mice etc digging in there. I personally don't mind this too much because it means the merkins aren't raiding in the house plus they dig around and piss and shit in there which is all to the good, but it does mean you're indirectly breeding them.

Good point.

My brother started a compost bin and ended up with a rats nest.
 

abpanther

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
20,784
Pleasure!



So I bought a compost bin which is I dunno is around the volume of those smaller wheelie bins I guess. I want to rivet the ag pipe to the inside winding down and criss crossing a couple of times in the middle. One end would poke above the level of the stuff inside but I wouldn't let it poke out the lid. Others might but I don't really want to breed flies. The bottom end would just sit on the ground at the bottom.



I think you want to avoid pretty much all animal protein and fat. It goes rancid and you're breeding the wrong bacteria. The smell would attract undesirables to your yard too I'm thinking.



Mate I chucked the bin on a patch of grass under a tree, dumped the kitchen bucket into it and went from there. My theory was the food straight on the ground would get the insects and worms interested quick. There might be a theory as to what the correct way to go is, I dunno. Horse manure early on certainly gets the right germs and enzymes working on breaking down the vegetable matter.



That sounds good but if the bottom is open ended how does that work?



Yep they love it, annuals and tropical plants do too.



2 preteens, 2 adults and a 2 year old. Our one bin stays pretty much full all year, obviously things speed up in the warmer months. I reckon right now probably the bottom half is ready to use but I've got nowhere to put it just now. The amazing thing is it just levels itself out all year.

So would the pipe have holes in it? Otherwise I don't see how it provides benefit?

The bin wouldn't be open ended, it would just have lots of small drill holes in it on the bottom and the sides. That sounds OK?

You've got 5 at your place, same as me. Sounds like one bin is plenty. So you add your food scraps every day and just add grass/leaves maybe once a week/month?
 

gUt

Coach
Messages
16,876
yeah the pipe has little holes in it. I've never used anything but a totally open bottom ended bin so I don't know how that will affect things coming in and out.

I add scraps every day and whenever I mow a load of clippings goes in, if there's room and if the top layer of scraps is getting nasty.
 

justdave

Juniors
Messages
692
The no water is important. I go simple, use pallets in 3 areas. Not perfect but does the job
 

abpanther

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
20,784
yeah the pipe has little holes in it. I've never used anything but a totally open bottom ended bin so I don't know how that will affect things coming in and out.

I add scraps every day and whenever I mow a load of clippings goes in, if there's room and if the top layer of scraps is getting nasty.

Any issues with composting over winter?

Seems people recommend having at least 2 bins, one processing and one being used actively. Now you've got me looking into the open ended ones
 
Last edited:

gUt

Coach
Messages
16,876
No issues as such but the process slows down. However the grass grows more slowly so it all balances out. I want to get a second bin for that reason but I would never use it all.
 

___

Juniors
Messages
860
Hey peeps,

Been watching the war on waste series with my kids and we're keen to try and make some positive changes so looking to make a compost bin at home.

There's plenty of guides out there and I've read a fair few, thinking of just drilling holes into a large plastic bin with a lid and using that. Been reading up on the ratio of brown/green waste, etc.

Just wanted to see if anyone here has any experience with it and has some useful tips, curious as to whether you need to invest in worms initially or it's a case of build it and they will come?

Thanks in advance
Easiest thing, use your green waste bin at home. Then whenever you want compost, just get the waste from that and create the heap.

What I used to do before those green bins came out was dig a hole in the ground and put things in there - this was mainly done for big things such as cut grass or tree branches/leaves (the wood underground breaks down over time).
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,548
Did the bin with holes thing years ago for my mum, just got a big lidded plastic bin and punched holes all over the sides of it with a hole saw. She mainly uses it for lawn clippings and garden waste but she’s a mad keen gardener and has been using it for about 25 years now with no complaints so it must work!
 
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