I live in a city row-home with limited back yard space. I love to garden and wanted to find an inexpensive compost maker. After a long search I came upon directions to make a nifty homemade one.
Materials:
Rubbermaid 35 qt (or size appropriate for garden.) storage container with tight fitting lid.
Extra Newspaper
Sharp Knife
"Browns" such as dead leaves, brown grass clippings, wood chips, shredded newspaper, pine needles
"Greens" such as coffee grounds, vegetable peelings, plant clippings, teabags and wool
Directions:
1. Turn the container over and cut some holes in the bottom for drainage. Don't go crazy. You want enough for drainage but not enough for the compost to fall out.
2. Cut a couple of holes on each side and one or two in the top to allow the compost to breath.
3. Rip up your extra newspaper and place in the bottom of the container.
The pieces should be no more than an inch wide. Fill the container about 6" with the newspaper.4. All your "browns go into the container next. Your container should be 1/3 full after adding the browns.
5. Cover your browns with your greens. Make sure to leave some room at the top of the container.
6. Water the compost, but don't drown it. You want it just damp. If you need to keep it on a deck, you can add and extra lid on the bottom for drainage.
7. Be patient. Wait.
8. After about three weeks, take the lid off and turn the compost well. Do this every 3-4 weeks.
9. Keep adding to your compost material
10. In 6-8 months you should have good earthy compost to use!
Some things to remember:
Do not put meat scraps into the compost.
Don't use compost for inside plants, as the compost is not considered sterile.
Do not put diseased plants into the compost.
I love being a city-dweller and knowing I can produce my own garden compost.
This idea came from You Grow Girl. Check out the site for more organic gardening ideas!
A Home-Made Urban Compost Bin