By: David Karlson

It takes just fifteen minutes of time to build a compost bin for your backyard. You would be more than surprised to know how easy and convenient it is to building a compost bin and that too in a short period. You can also make compost pile and get your compost in your apartment without any backyard. So, now your plants can enjoy homemade and extremely nutritious compost for your plants.

Here are steps involved in building a compost bin:



Step 1: Recycle or purchase a pail or bin that has a tight fitting lid of about 24 inches tall or in taller. Your pail would also require a lid in order to keep all the critters out and to keep the soil’s moisture intact.

Step 2: Make eight to ten small holes with a drill in the bottom of your container. This will help in aeration. You may also drill some holes on the sides and walls of the bin, if necessary.

Step 3: It is important to place the compost bin in a shady area. The area should be far away from your home. In case you live in an apartment and have no backyard, it would be wise to place your bin on the patio. Make sure the compost is not exposed in full sun. This will dry out your compost.

Step 4: You must place some shredded newspaper or dried leaves on the compost bin’s bottom. You may fill it to 1/8 – ¼ full.

Step 5: The dirt from your garden should be placed on top of the newspaper until the compost is filled to half.

Step 6: You may place all grape stems, coffee grounds and onionskins.

Step 7: Stir the compost a little with the help of a shovel. Make sure that you cover all your food scraps with dirt.

Step 8: Spray the components with lukewarm water until it gets moist. Do not soak it wet.

Step 9: Make about eight to ten small holes on the lid of the bin.

Step 10: Place lid on compost every day. Make sure you stir each time you add food scraps to the bin.

Step 11: Place a lid on compost and wait for about two to three months in order to use your compost. Compost can be ideally used as much in order to cover flowerbeds. These can also be used to pot soil and even sprinkled over your grass to serve as a lawn conditioner.



Some tips and warnings:

One of the most common problems you may face with a compost is its’ smell. In case, your compost starts smelling strong, it may be due to extra water. Ensure that you stop adding extra scraps for a few day and drill more holes if necessary.

The bin needs to be moist all the time. Fruit flies can be a great problem so make sure your compost bin is far away from your house. This is the basic guide to building a compost bin.

By: Warren Peters

What is vermicomposting? Vermicomposting means using worms to make compost. This is very easy to do and needs just a little bit of garden space and you can even do it in your basement or your garage. This is one great way to use up your kitchen waste and not let it go to waste. Let’s show you how easy it is. All you need to do is follow these very easy steps.

First of all, you need to get yourself a storage bin, a plastic one is best. If yours is a family of six, you need a size that’s around 1′ x 2′ x 3.5′. At the bottom of the bin, drill around 10 holes, each one to facilitate drainage and place a tray underneath the bin to hold the drainage.

Now put in some nylon mesh at the bottom of the bin so the worms don’t escape through these holes. Now you need some bedding and for this, you will require some newspaper. Shred them and wet them well. You should make sure they stay moist and don’t get dry.

Now add the worms to the bin, preferably red worms which are thought to be the best as far as composting is concerned. These are the most common worms you are likely to find in most gardens and lawns so you can just collect them from your garden or order them from a gardening store.

Make sure the bedding and the worms are on one side of the bin and put in vegetable peels and other kitchen waste, taking care not to put in any meat or fat products. Don’t put in too much or you’ll find that the stuff tends to rot. Now keep the bin in a cool, dark place.

It should take around 3 months for the worms to turn the waste and the bedding into compost. Now put in the bedding and more waste on the other side of the bin. The worms tend to migrate to the new food supply. Put the bin out in the sun and the worms will go right into the bedding and you can take out your compost from one side of the bin. You can put it for your plants or save it for later.

Now how do you use this compost that you have made? Compost is organic matter that is really great for your plants. You can add it to your lawn, your plants in the garden or your potted plants. You’ll find the soil improving with better aeration and moisture-holding properties.

This is where your plants will get their nutrients from and thrive. You can also use it as mulch, spreading it on top of the soil after mixing it with a bit of topsoil. You’ll find compost helps prevent many diseases.

You’ll find in your garden that all the organic matter does decompose eventually. However, vermicomposting hastens the process and gives you garden soil that is fertile, moist and rich in nutrients. So your plants grow better, look better and survive better. All it takes for organic matter to decompose are ideal conditions in which earthworms, bacteria, fungi and bugs can work.

They need moisture, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen. So if you were to mix in nitrogen-rich substances like grass clippings or manure from livestock, you’ll find decomposing happening quicker. Carbon can be had from leaves and twigs. Or you could fling in a handful of lawn fertilizer which will provide the carbon-nitrogen needs.

Do remember to water it a bit in case it doesn’t rain and the mix gets dry. A bit of turning around once in a while gives it the oxygen it needs. Just a little bit of care and you are well on your way to great compost!

nickname asked:


I have a garbage can and want to know if i should drill holes, if so where? What do you put in it? and how many worms should I put in it?

DEB asked:


We have tons of kitchen scraps and I’m going nuts looking at everything from turning to bokashi to tumblers to holes. Does this really have to be so complicated? Then I read blogs online of failures, too much work, smell, etc. What really is the right way to do this in a smallish but not miniscule home flower/veggies organic garden?