With the great shift to eco-friendly living, homemade compost bins are becoming almost an essential in every household.
One of the easiest ways to make your own starter compost bin is to use a plastic garbage barrel with a lid. Drill holes in the base and sides to create good air flow for proper composition, and line the inside of the bin with mesh or chicken wire to keep the compost from slipping through the holes.
Once you have your your compost bin up and going, these hints and tips will guide your family along the way to greener living:
- Place the bin in a cool shaded corner of the yard, away from direct sunlight.
- Anchor the bin to the ground or tie it to a tree to keep pets or over-excited kiddies from knocking it over.
- To give your compost efforts a kick-start, add cow, chicken or horse manure as this will aid the decomposition.
- Line your bin with dry material like leaves, shredded paper, twigs and straw before adding your fresh kitchen off-cuts and gardening greens.
- To avoid attracting insects and flies, work fresh scraps into the compost pile instead of just piling it on top.
- Drizzle water over the compost every now and again to keep it damp, but not soaked.
- Mix it up every second week or so! The more often you work it around, the faster the compost will decompose.
Remember: A compost bin is for plant material only – do not add meat, dairy, pet waste or animal fat to the pile.
Original images and their credits available on Pinterest
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