Building a cheap and easy compost bin

Building and using a compost bin is a great way to save money on expensive fertilizer. Your garden will appreciate the optimum nutrition it gets from your own homemade compost. Fall is the best time to start a compost bin, although it can be used year round. I suggest building your bin just before raking fall leaves for convenience sake and a good head start on next years' compost.

Building a compost bin doesn't have to be complicated.

Those needing just a small amount of compost can use a large trash can or simply pile the compost in a heap. As the garden expands, a larger container may become necessary. Here are simple instructions for building your own cheap and easy composting bin.

Supplies

You'll need 4 – 4 foot long sections of 4x4 lumber as posts. The cheapest, simplest way to do this is to buy two 8 foot long sections and cut them in half.

You'll also need enough dense three foot wide chicken wire to wrap around these corner posts to make the size bin you want.

Directions

Bin frame:

*Measure and mark off the four corners where the cheap and easy compost bin will sit.
*Dig a one foot deep hole at each corner.
*Insert the first four foot post into one of the holes.
*Fill the hole with loose dirt.
*Use a level to position the pole in the hole.
*Pack the dirt tightly around the pole to stabilize it in level position.
*Repeat with the other three poles.

Wrapping the frame:

*Start your chicken wire by wrapping it completely around one pole.
*Staple the chicken wire into place with a good staple gun.
*You can also use pound in staples from the hardware store.
*Now wrap the wire around the whole frame, stapling it to each 4x4 as you go.

Bin Cover:

Use a tarp the size of the top surface of the cheap and easy compost bin as a cover. This will keep animals from foraging through the compost bin. The tarp can be tied down using twine strung through the grommets.