Composting is the process of decomposing kitchen and garden scrap into an organic material that is packed with essential nutrients and does wonders for garden or container soil. Composting also reduces the amount of household waste that ends up in landfills. You can make your own compost bin to collect waste and turn it into something useful.
Purchase a large plastic barrel or bin, or use a spare trashcan. Depending on the space available and how much you want to compost, it can be anywhere from 10 to 55 gallons.
Select a dry and shady area in your backyard or garden for the compost bin. Keep it away from your house, but placing it too far will discourage you from using it during rain or snow. Place bricks in a rectangle on the ground to place the bin in after you fill it.
Drill holes all over the body of the barrel, spaced 6 inches apart, and on the lid and base. Make sure the holes are no smaller than 1/8 inch but no larger than ½ inch. Holes that are too small will prevent helpful worms from entering the bin, while holes that are too big will allow any unpleasant odor to escape.
Look around your kitchen and yard for green and brown scraps. Greens include grass clippings, manure and food scraps, while browns include coffee filters, scrap wood, branches and twigs, shredded brown paper bags and eggshells. Crush or chop larger pieces so they break up quicker before filling the bin with alternating layers of green and brown material.
Water the contents of the bin with a hose to a moist consistency and replace the lid, pushing it on tightly.
Lay your compost bin on its side between the blocks on the ground. To rotate it, simply remove the front row of bricks and push the bin so it rolls around the garden or yard four of five times. Push it back into its brick bed and replace the bricks.
Rotate it three times a week so the contents mix thoroughly.