I've been researching possible construction plans, debating the cost differences of building vs. buying and generally trying to gauge just how lazy I wanted to be about this whole composting thing. You see, I really like the idea of those fancy composters with a crank handle on the outside that allows you to turn the whole bin rather than having to actually stir the compost itself.
Here's the kicker though.....I'm cheap. My mom frequently laughs and says I "really know how to make a George Washington squeal." And those fancy composters are expensive!
I looked at several plans for building compost bins. Googling "DIY compost bin" comes up with plans for everything from a re-purposed trash can to some seriously elaborate carpentry that is way beyond my skills and means.
This is where fate comes in.
I was trolling through Home Depot (yes....I have been there nearly every day since we moved for one reason or another. It's getting to the point where the employees recognize me when I come through the door) when I saw this lovely little guy for $49 and decided to give him a home.
I reasoned that it would probably cost me nearly that much to build a wood compost bin that would eventually rot away. It's also significantly more attractive than the garbage can method (there's really no place for me to tuck it away out of sight). It's also something that I could move if need be (since we are planning on eventually putting a shed in the backyard).
Since I got it home and set up (it just snaps together), I've been gradually filling it with food waste (no meats or fats...those can attract pests, though they do eventually break down) and yard trimmings. I had a few tomatoes and peppers that didn't make it since it took me so long to get them into the ground. Those went in there too. I figure I can keep gradually adding to the pile and hopefully in the spring, I'll have some good compost to add to my beds and to use as potting soil!
By the way, here are a few of the links that I found helpful in my reasearch:
- http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Compost-Bin
- http://www.doityourself.com/stry/h2composting
- http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-build-a-compost-bin/index.html
- http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-unwaste-station-a-cool-diy-145463
Do you compost? Did you decide to buy or DIY? And if you had to do it all over again, would you do the same?
No comments:
Post a Comment