Simple Compost Bins & Clearing Old Garden Beds

Before The Bins

For a while now I’ve wanted to get some compost bins set up, just haven’t got around to it. I was just tossing compost scraps into our raised, galvanized beds for the time being; to help fill it up and save on soil cost.

This meant kitchen scraps, leaves, dried grass clippings, limbs, etc.. I took advantage of all the leaves that had fallen in late autumn, filling the beds to the tops.

Now that it’s settled some, I can add even more. It’ll definitely help save on soil cost come spring time! I’m hoping we have enough from the soil pile to top them off though.

After a while of trying to decide how I’d like to make the bins, I decided to utilize what we had on hand. Chicken wire, zip ties and thick limbs. After all, composting doesn’t have to be complicated or require expensive equipment.

Tasks Completed ✓

Once I decided on how to go about setting these up, I had to wait for a window to do so. Between freezing temps and storms, it’s been raining nonstop.. For what seems like an eternity here.

There were finally two days this week where it was sunny with no rain! The first day it was too cold to be out for long, but the following day was perfect.

So ready for the sunny days! Except summer, it can hold its horses of course.

It was so nice that day, it made my heart sing. It was still quite chilly outside, but a light jacket did the trick instead of my puffy coat. It had been so long since we’ve had a day like that, I didn’t want it to end.

I was able to set up the compost bins AND clear out the old garden beds (which was a tangled mess).

The beds were overgrown like crazy, but luckily everything was dried up and easy to pull. I even recovered some fabric planters and pots that had been ‘hiding’.

For the compost bins we used chicken wire (I’m thinking 2-3′ high), straight sturdy limbs, a hammer and zip ties. I hammered in the limbs, two feet apart, in a line – making three sections.

I straightened up that one crooked limb, soon after I finished making the bins.

I then unraveled the roll some, zip tied the start to the first limb, rolled it out and over the second limb, zip tied, and back around to the first to zip tie again. It created a nice little cylinder.

I did have to hammer a tiny branch in the back so it would stay in a circle as I unraveled the roll. I repeated the same for the second bin. I didn’t mess with the third, because I ran out of time; but two is fine for now.

Afterwards, I began filling it with dried leaves and kitchen scraps we’ve been saving. Layering it with leaves, then scraps, repeat. I’ll be honest, I didn’t water it in between or afterwards because it was going to rain that evening anyways.

Overall, I feel like they’re functional and I’m excited to see the process/progress. I made the second one so that when I go to flip the first one, I can just flip it into there. Makes things easier.

As I created the bins, I was clearing out the old beds. I mainly wanted this area cleared out again so that we can grow corn, okra, and a few other things there. Definitely have to fence this area in though, due to the deer and rabbits!

Our Reason For Composting

We really wanted to compost for garden needs, of course. It’ll save on soil cost, it’s healthier and better quality, it puts food scraps to good use, and it creates a more sustainable system for the garden.

I looked at soil bags online, just to get an idea for if we need any for spring, and oof – the prices have gotten even worse.. Not to mention the quality has just become so poor anymore.

Last year I was finding all sorts of trash in our soil bags (multiple brands too) AND the bulk soil (from a landscape place) we bought a year before that. I’m talking rubber bands, plastic, metal, aluminum, tape, glass, wire, string, etc..

SO, composting is looking pretty good! lol Now that we have chickens, we can compost their old bedding as well. I’m debating on whether I’ll keep it separated from the ‘kitchen scrap’ pile or not though.

Just because it’s considered a hot manure and not a cold one. If you have experience with composting, any advice would be much appreciated, as always.

Overall, putting food scraps to good use, instead of tossing them in the trash, is always a win. Especially since we drink coffee and eat bananas everyday. Not to mention the scraps we’ll have when the garden is in full swing.

I do plan on using some veggie scraps to make homemade veggie broth though; instead of always throwing it in the compost bins. Either way scraps will be recycled and used, one way or another!

🍁 Do you compost at all, or are thinking about it? 🍁

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