So what is compost? Compost is simply an organic material that is created from decomposed plant matter.  When a plant dies, it slowly breaks down into a natural substance that enriches the soil.  When you add compost to your garden, you are helping to improve the soil. This is very important because the plants you put in the ground use the nutrients that are found there. Adding organic material to your soil will help to replenish the nutrients and help the soil retain water longer.

Creating your own garden compost is a very simple thing to do. You just collect your garden and organic kitchen waste in a container or a pile and allow it to break down. Now you can add composting enhancers or other things to speed up the process, but nature does just fine on its own.  You will want to add garden waste – plant trimmings etc. and lawn clipping to your mix. In addition, kitchen waste such as egg shells, produce waste and even cardboard egg cartons. Just make sure you tear up the cartons first!

Keeping your compost pile moist will help speed up the process as well. Sprinkle it with the garden hose every day or so. You don’t want it to be soggy, but slightly moist. The organic material breaks down quicker when there is moisture present.

As a part of backyard composting, you can build or buy a container to keep your compost in. Many of the containers rotate so you can spin the compost to mix it well.  Mixing your compost will help the compost to process a little faster and it helps to mix all the different types of material together.  If you have your compost in a pile, you will need a pitch fork or a turning fork to rotate it.

You don’t even need a set container for your compost. If you live in an area where there are no regulations about things like this, just set up your compost pile in a hidden corner of your property.  Add your garden waste to the pile and turn it every few days or once a week.  In fact, you don’t really need to turn your compost.  Start a pile with all your yard trimmings and continue to add them throughout the summer and fall.  Then, in the spring turn the pile and remove the finished compost from the bottom. If you are only adding the compost to your garden in the spring, this is a great option for creating your own compost.

As you can see, backyard composting is a very simple process. You can spend a lot of time turning and watering it for a quick turn around on the compost. Or you can just let nature do the work and collect the organic material once a year.  No matter what method you choose, making your own compost is good for your garden and good for the environment!

This video covers these types of compost bins and containers:

• The basic compost bin
• Compost tumbler
• Worm Composter, talked about on this page
• Kitchen compost bin
• Compost bucket, which we talk about here

Here is the video:

As you can see, the type of compost container you choose totally depends on how much space you have, how you intend to use it, and the type of compost you want to make. Worm composters are growing in popularity these days, but as you can see from the video it takes a lot longer to make a large amount of compost with this method.

A compost bucket or kitchen compost pail is perfect for collecting your kitchen waste. These containers are airtight and have odor absorbent filters in the lid. Once your pail is full, dump the contents into your outdoor bin. These containers are very handy and remind you to keep your organic waste instead of putting it in the garbage.

Compost tumblers are easy to use and make turning the compost so easy. However, if you allow them to get very full they can be quite heavy when turning. Keep this in mind when you are filling the tumbler up. Maybe consider having more than one. This will allow you to have one bin processing while you continue to add organic material to the other.

There are a wide variety of compost bins available for purchase these days. As more and more people take an interest in creating their own organic compost, there will continue to be products available to help them achieve that goal. In addition to purchasing ready made bins, you can find plans to make your own homemade compost bin.

Composting is a rewarding activity that the whole family can take part in. Teach your children to recognize what kitchen scraps can be added to the compost pile and they will begin to take an active part in your composting efforts. As recycling your organic becomes a part of your everyday life, you will be doing your part to help renew the earth and cut down on landfill waste.

Here is a video that give you all the basics of the Urban compost container. After the video, we will take a look at a few different models made by the Urban company.

As you can see, the Urban Compost Tumbler is a quality product that has been well thought out. The design is great and it is easy to use. If you have a low height wheelbarrow you can shovel the finished compost directly into the wheelbarrow for easy transport around the yard. Consumer review are mostly positive, however some consumers state that the bin is hard to tumble once it gets very full because it becomes heavy. One consumer suggested having at least two tumblers so you have one to add fresh material to while they other is processing the compost.

Here are a couple of the composting products made by Urban. First of all the Urban Compost Tumbler Uct-7. This model comes highly rated by consumers at Amazon.com. This 7.5 cubic foot capacity tumbler has a 10 year warranty and it is portable so you can move it around your yard. Take the compost directly to the garden if you need to! This is a smaller model than the one shown in the video, however because it is smaller it will produce compost quicker than the larger models.

Next there is the 9.5 cubic foot Urban Compost Tumbler. Similar to the compost bin above, this model is slightly larger for more compost. It is easy to assemble and carries a 10 year warranty. The product description tells the story best:
New Urban Compost Tumbler Makes Compost in Weeks Not Months with Revolutionary Central Aeration. System; Works 90% Faster Requires 75% Less Effort. Lack of space and time to maintain a traditional compost pile neighbor complaints and unwanted pests… the UCT is the perfect fit. . This unit is the only sealed compost tumbler that allows appropriate amounts of oxygen to enter the chamber and mix with materials vastly increasing the speed and efficiency of composting and inspiring more people to take advantage of the benefits of composting than ever before. . Wagon not included. Tumble end over end. Suspended on a pivot rod that allows the barrel to tumble freely. The UCT9 is black in color to maximize heat absorption and further speed the process of turning refuse into useable compost . 9.5 cubic foot 71 gallon barrel. 5 Year Warranty

The Urban Compost Tumbler is a quality product that is environmentally friendly. Not only does it help you create healthy compost from your garden and kitchen waste, the actual product is made from recycled materials. It is a quality product to produce quality compost!

Here is a video that explains how to make a compost roller out of a large plastic barrel that was picked up at a car wash.

This is a very basic, yet effective homemade tumbler. Although this particular model does not include a stand, it wouldn’t be too much trouble to make one. If you are mechanically inclined, you could easily make a stand for your composter that would allow you to either tumble or spin your barrel.

Here is another video that shows how to make a compost tumbler out of an old pickle barrel. This tumbler also has a stand so it will actually tumble, much like the commercial compost tumblers that you can buy.

Here is the video:

This compost container is another great homemade bin that would be a great weekend project. The advantages to making a rolling or tumbling bin is the ease of mixing the compost. With standard bins or piles you will need to turn the compost regularly using a turning fork or pitchfork. A simple spin or tumble will do the same with a compost tumbler. Make sure your barrel has small holes drilled in it for aeration, your mixture needs to breathe and the little organisms that help break down the organic material need a way to enter the bin!

If you need more help finding plans to build the best compost bin, visit your local library or garden center. There are a wide variety of great plans out there for building home compost containers. You can make them as simple or complex as you wish. Once you have built your compost bin, you will find that making your own compost can be rewarding and fun!

You can make your own worm compost bin very easily or you can purchase a ready made worm composter. We will look at both types so you can decide which kind best fits your needs.

Homemade Worm Compost Bin

To make your own worm box, you will need a sturdy box that is approximately 24″ X 18″ X 8″. It is better if the box is on the shallow side since the worms tend to live in the top six inches of material in the box. So if it is deeper, you will only get effective composting on the top portion. Worms need moisture, food, air, dark, and warmth in their living place. You can create great worm bedding by adding moist newspaper strips to your compost box. The strips of newspaper will create a perfect bedding space for the worm, while providing the moisture and allow for air pockets. As far as food goes, you will want to use primarily raw fruit and vegetable scraps that you will bury into the newspaper bedding strips.

Worms are very hard workers and they will continue to make compost until there is no more material to create it from. After about three to five months, you will notice that there is very little bedding material left in the bin. It is now time to harvest the compost. You can collect the compost in a couple of different ways. Just a note, when you are getting ready to harvest your compost, do not add food to the box for two weeks before you begin the harvest.

The first way to collect the compost is to move all the material in the box to one side of the box, then add fresh bedding and food to the other half of the box. Continue adding new food only to the fresh side of the box and within the next two to three weeks the worms will slowly move to the fresh material. If you allow the ‘old’ side of the composter to dry out, the worms will move to the moist fresh side quicker. You can cover the fresh side and leave the old side open to help it dry out. After you remove the finished compost, fill the remaining side of the compost box with fresh bedding and food and let the process begin again!

You can also harvest your compost by dumping the entire contents of the box onto a tarp outside. Make cone shaped piles and expose them to sunlight to help them to dry out. As the piles dry, the worms will move to down in the pile. Scoop of the top layer, then allow the pile to dry further. Again scoop of the dry portion and continue until you have all the compost harvested. Fill the box with fresh bedding and then add the worms and food and start over.

Ready Made Worm Compost Bins

Although making your own worm bin is not hard, sometimes it is easier to find something that is ready made. Many of the premade worm bins have multiple layers arranged as shelves or drawers allowing you to create a lot of compost in a small amount of space. Many of these compost bins also have a collection area and spout for compost tea. A nutrient rich liquid that is the byproduct of composting.

First we will look at the Worm Factory 5-Tray Worm Composter. This composter has a great system that allows the worms to move to the next tray as they exhaust the food supply in the one below. Simple add worms and organic material to the bottom tray and then, as the worms use up all the food in that tray add the next tray above it. The worms will migrate up to the fresh source of food, leaving the finished compost behind.

Another great premade compost bin is the Worm Factory 3-Tray Worm Composter. This worm compost bin has the same features as the one above, but it is a smaller model. It contains only three trays where the other has five trays.

Finally we have the Can-O-Worms. This is a round compost bin that incorporates trays like the ones above, It’s unique design allows for indoor as well as outdoor use. It has a spout at the bottom to collect the compost tea which plants love!

Red Wiggler Worms
If you are going to have a worm compost bin, you will need worms! You can find quality worms that are raised just for gardeners. The One Pound (#1) VermipostPro Red Wigglers for Organic Gardening and Composting are perfect for adding to your worm composter. These worms will work hard on your compost and they reproduce rapidly so you can double your worm population in three months!

As you can see, worm composting is a great way to create healthy compost and compost tea for your garden. It is inexpensive to build your own worm compost bin. But there are many great ready made bins on the market as well. You choose, there is bound to be one that is perfect for you.

So what are the different types of indoor compost containers are available? Well, we will look at a few of them here. No doubt you will find one that is perfect for your composting needs!

First of all we will look at the highly rated Kitchen Composter Hinged Top Filtered. This compost bucket is a favorite of consumers. With replaceable filters you never have to worry about odors. This composter is dishwasher safe and can be set on the counter, floor, or mounted on the wall. It can hold a weeks worth of compost material before you dump it. Many consumers choose to dump the unit and then rinse it out with the garden hose, allowing it to dry outside. It is very durable and functional. This bucket is constructed of bright green plastic, so it may not be a match for your kitchen decor. But it can sit in a corner, inside the pantry or under the sink.

Next we have the RSVP Stainless Steel Compost Pail. This attractive compost container is made of stainless steel and has two carbon filters fitted inside the lid. With a one gallon capacity, this compost pail will hold quite a bit of organic waste before you need to dump it into the compost heap outside. With an attractive design, this pail will look nice in just about any kitchen. No one will ever know what is hiding inside!

For an inexpensive option, there is the EcoSafe Kitchen Catcher Composter. Priced at around $10, this bucket is a great way to collect your kitchen scraps. Unlike the previous compost buckets, this unit does not have a filter. However, the lid fits very tightly to help keep out insects and odors. Made of heavy duty plastic, this unit is neutral colored so it will fit in with any decor.

Since composting is a way to be ecologically smart, why not have a compost bucket that is as well? The Norpro 88 Bamboo Compost Keeper is made of one of the top renewable resources available – bamboo. This compost pail is smartly designed and has two charcoal filters built into the lid. It is attractive and durable – a great addition to any kitchen!

As you can see, when it comes to finding a compost bucket, there are many different options. You will have no trouble finding a pail that is right for you!

Composting has existed in nature since the beginning of time. It is something that happens naturally – think of walking through a forest and the rich, dark brown material on the forest floor. That is the leaves, pine needles, etc. slowly breaking down to become nutrient rich soil. When you create home compost, you are simply doing what occurs in nature – but you are speeding up the process!

One of the main things you need to remember about creating your own compost, is to keep it simple! You can create your compost in a bin, a compost spinner, or even a home made compost box. If you have the room, your compost can just be a pile in the corner of your yard that you can easily turn with a turning fork. The point is, you just need a space where the compost can be turned easily and it is convenient for you to add material to it.  You don’t need to worry about any kind of smell. If the compost is created properly – with the right types of material there will be no odor.

It is beneficial to have two compost piles. If you purchase a ready made bin, find one with two chambers, however the twin chamber bins are more expensive so you might want to just have two traditional bins.  The reason you want two piles is so that one bin can be working on the compost, while you collect items in the other bin. If you add material to the bin after the composting process begins it will slow the time it takes to collect the finished product.

You want a good mix of green and brown items in your compost pile. You don’t want too much green material or the compost will develop an odor.

Green Compost Material

• Fresh lawn clippings
• Kitchen scraps – vegetable and fruit waste, coffee grounds, egg shells, tea bags
• Manure – chicken, rabbit, horse, cow
• Green leaves and yard clippings
• Fruit dropped from fruit trees

Brown Compost Material

• Brown, dry leaves
• Dried grass clippings
• Shredded corn stalks
• Straw

Mix the materials thoroughly to insure proper composting. Turn your compost daily for a quicker turn around time. Your compost will compost well without daily turning, but it will take longer. Make sure your compost pile stays moist – not soggy. You may need to sprinkle your compost pile in drier climates. If you live in a rainy location, you will want to cover the pile to prevent it from getting too wet. If you can squeeze water from the mixture it is too wet.

By having a proper mix of materials and a moist mixture, your compost pile will begin to generate heat. This heat will help to break down the particles and kill off any weed seeds that may be present in the mixture. Ideally, you should feel a toasty warmth if you stick your hand into the middle of the pile.

Once your compost reaches a rich, dark color it is ready to mix into your garden soil. It is a good idea to screen the mixture to remove any large clumps before using. Adding compost to your garden increases your soil’s ability to to hold water and nutrients. Compost also helps to improve the texture of the soil, making it richer and easier to work with.

For more information on composting, check out these great books. It is nice to have a handy guide for quick reference!

• Let it Rot!: The Gardener’s Guide to Composting
• Composting: An Easy Household Guide
• The Complete Compost Gardening Guide

As you can see, creating your own compost is a fairly simple process. It is a way for you to recycle your organic waste and give back to the environment. Just follow the garden compost basics – it is easy and fun!

A rotating compost bin is an effective and clean option for composting. Most of these composters are compact and many have wheels so you can move it where you need it. This feature makes it great for adding yard waste to your organic mix.

One of the great rotating composters available is the Envirocycle Composter. This compost tumbler has several great features that make it a hit among gardeners. The heavy duty plastic drum has holes for aeration and an indented drum to make turning the drum easy for almost anyone. Probably the best feature about this compost bin is the fact that it not only gives gardeners the ability to make up to 5 bushels of quality compost, but it also allows you to collect ‘compost tea’. This nutrient rich, organic liquid is a great fertilizer and gardeners love it! The compost tea is collected in the base of the composting unit so you don’t have to dig through the compost to find it.

Another compost tumbler to consider is the ComposTumbler Back Porch 5 Cubic Foot Heavy Duty Poly Compost Bin. This compact compost bin is perfect for small yards or if you need to move the composter around. It is capable of holding up to 37 gallons of compost material. Four fins inside help to break up the compost material and ensure effective mixing of the compost mix. Screens on the sides allow for adequate airflow and allow the mixture to breathe. The wheeled stand allows you to move the unit around the yard and add garden waste as you work. The stand also lifts the composter off the ground so it is safe from small animals and rodents.

If you want to speed up the composting process, take a look at the Tumbleweed 200003 Rotating Compost Bin. The Tumbleweed will allow you to have finished compost in as little as 21 days! Recommended by the National Home Gardening Club, this compost bin is effective and quick. Turn your kitchen scraps and garden waste into healthy compost in no time with the Tumbleweed!

As you can see, when it comes to a quality spinning composter there are several to choose from. Once you find the one that fits your needs and space, you will find that creating compost is fun and easy!

Thanks to the invention of the kitchen compost container, we now have a better solution to getting rid of our trash. What this wonderful machine does is collect and recycle our food waste, such as fruit and vegetable peels, tea leaves, etc. These waste materials are collected in the bin and grinded into very fine particles. This will take place over a couple of weeks or so and once they are grinded, they are later used as natural nutrients for the plants in our gardens. That may just encourage you to grow more vegetables and fruit as you can now get fresh food straight from the garden.

If you are concerned about the possible foul smell emitted by the rotting food, you can rest assure that you will not smell anything bad because these bins come with odor filters which will filter out the rotting odor so you will not smell anything bad. Instead of using the grinded food waste as nutrients for the plants, some people will also get the composting companies to collect them but since the composting bins will be far away from the house, it becomes very troublesome. Thus, the kitchen compost bin is invented to sit in your kitchen for the waste.

If you are getting a kitchen compost crock or bin, the following tips will help you make the correct selection.

1. Get a compost bin which comes with a filter which can keep out flies and odor from the decomposing food.
2. Ensure that the compost bucket has a lid to prevent fruit flies from hovering over your discarded fruits and food scraps. No matter what you are trying to do, you definitely do not want to invite pests into your house.
3. When you are getting a kitchen compost container, you should look for one which is stainless steel or ceramic made. These materials can be made from beautiful and durable materials, thus making it blend in with your kitchen décor as well as being easy for you to keep up with maintenance.

Composting is an environmentally friendly act and everybody should be encouraged to do it. In order to make things easier, you should also buy a kitchen composter so that you do not have to walk out of the house to throw food waste away. You can simply thrown them into the small kitchen compost bin and wait till much later before you dispose them into your garden compost bin for the composting companies to collect.