There’s hardly a gardener, I’m sure, who would deny that having a ready supply of compost is ideal.
Here’s how to make a compost bin.
Compost Bin Idea
The idea for our compost bin came from the California Redwood Association, and they recommend that an all-heart grade of redwood be used. This is important because the bacteria which decay the green material can also act on the wood.
All-heart redwood resists decay. If redwood is not used, treat all wood with a good wood preservative that will not leave any residue in the compost harmful to plants.
From the plan, you can see that the top is hinged to be completely opened, and there is a provision at the top for adding composting material and activators.
There is also an opening at the bottom to easily remove the decomposed compost. The bottom is angled down toward the center.
This is to prevent material from building up in corners that are difficult to get at. Air is extremely important in composting. There should be ample air coming through the bottom and top openings.
Provision
Provision is also made to partition off two sections. This is optional but preferred by many gardeners. While one side is decaying, you can add to the other.
Here is the amount of lumber you’ll need to build this bin: 16 in. ft. 1×2; 12 in. ft. 1×4; 52 in. ft. 2×2; 30 in. ft. 2×4; 424 in. ft. 1×4 T&G; 20 in. ft. 1/4 round molding.
44659 by William L. Meachem