How to cheaply make a compost box

Compost is great for vegetable gardens, flower beds, potted plants, refreshing your grass or just to add to just about anything dealing with landscaping at your home.  You could buy a compost box or compost bin from a store or online, but why would you? Here is a way to make one that will take very little time and is nearly free.

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what you will need to make a composting bin

• 4 pallets - most warehouses stores will give these away for free
  
• Long wood screws
  
• Electric or battery operated drill
  
• Extension cord (if you are using an electric drill)
  
• About an hour

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how to build a composting box

1. Pick out a spot close to where you will want to use your compost. Generally this will be by your garden. Please keep the compost box at least five feet away from your home to prevent unwanted insects.
   
2. Bring all of your supplies next to the location so you can build it there.  It will be very heavy so make sure you build it where you want it to stay.
   
3. Stand two pallets up with two of the side edges flush against each other.
   
4. Drill in two wood screws per cross beam (the thick piece of wood) to connect the two pallets to one another. At least six screws per corner.
   
5. Place another pallet next two one of the open edges and connect it in the same way.
   
6. Repeat this for both sides of the last pallet.
   
7. Victory! Your compost box is built. Time to start composting. 

help with composting

The spaces between the boards of the pallets will help air and water to reach more of the composting soil. Air and water are needed for the bacteria to break down the material into compost. Lack of air can lead to smells.
Do not add protein to the compost pile. It will attract animals and will add a terrible stench.
Try to keep a 50/50 ratio of brown compost material(leaves, dirt) and green compost material (discarded vegetables, grass clippings, egg shells, fruit skins)
If you want your compost to occur more quickly, be sure to turn your compost with a pitchfork and add some earthworms you find.
If you find that you have too much compost, I bet you have a neighbor who could really use some.
Composting not only creates great soil for you, it also reduces what we send to landfills. Do your part to keep the earth green.

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