Building a Backyard Compost Box

Gardeners and farmers call compost "Black Gold" because it is nutrient rich and packed with minerals easily accessible to plants.  Quality compost can be invaluable for growing premium plants and veggies.  Here's an easy way to build a compost box in your backyard practically for free.

Step 1: Find four intact shipping pallets.  These pallets were donated by Woodmeister : Master Builders, but you can find them  for free at practically any store that gets shipments delivered.

Step 2: If the plot where you want to put the compost box is unlevel, dig and turn the soil about 2-3 inches deep.  This will help the sod rot quicker, put your food compost directly in contact with the soil, and make it easier to push dirt around in order to level out the ground.

Step 3: hammer wooden stakes in the ground distanced at the same length as the  pallets.

Step 4:  Tie string around the stakes in order to measure at what point the ground is level. 

Step 5: Wherever the ground is not level (you can tell by using a  level tool),  push soil under that spot.  If your compost bin will be abutting a slope, use rocks to brace against major erosion (but I don't suggest placing a compost box near a steep slope)

  

When your ground is level you can start setting up your pallets

Align the corners of the pallets together, use a hammer to bang them farther into the ground and cover the base with soil to keep it sturdy.

We tied our pallets together with natural, biodegradable twine and checked throughout the process that the pallets were level.  They will most likely shift throughout time, but it's good to get a fresh start.

Here's our finished product!  Looks quite handsome on a farm, in a backyard or in any urban setting , in my opinion.

Pallets are great to use for compost.  Moisture, aeration, heat and pressure are required for speedy break-down of organic materials.  The slits in the side of pallets allows for air circulation and moisture to penetrate the compost pile..  We don't mind if some critters get in to ours.  We haven't had any problems.  But you can always wrap a metal mesh around yours if you're concerned.

One rule of thumb is that the more green material you add to the compost (weeds, grass clippings, leaves, etc.) the less water you will need to add.  If you are getting a ton of rain, you may want to consider covering your compost pile with a tarp for a short time.

Great materials to compost include:

• Weeds - they sucked up the nutrients away from your plants.  Now it's time to return micro-nutrients to the soil!  This is debatable, but my experience is that you don't need to be concerned about the seeds.  A good compost pile will reach temperatures of 140-160 degrees when the micro-organisms break down the organic matter and the seeds can't survive that heat.
• Coffee grounds with the filter - The filter will break down, worms love it, and it is an excellent source of nitrogen for your soil
• Organic kitchen scraps (egg shells, vegetable and fruit peels, corn cobs, etc.)
• Algae, seaweed and lake moss - Excellent source of minerals, nutrients and nitrogen
• Tea with the tea leaves included - adds carbon and extra moisture to help feed the microbes that breakdown the compost.

Keep in mind that you should NOT compost the following:

• Coal or charcoal ash - toxic to plants.  But WOOD ash is great!
• Meat or excessive amounts of grease/oil - These can go rancid.  Grease may actually coat foods and preserve them so they don't break down as quickly.  Meat can attract unwanted visitors.  
• Non-biodegradable materials,