My Recycled Compost Bin

old plastic tub ready for the trash

Our old compost bins were falling apart. They were at least 10 years old and the wooden frames were rotten. Nothing green goes into the trash at our house; we compost it all. I always have marvelous dark brown compost to use in my garden. Our backyard is totally hidden from the neighborhood so I can do pretty much whatever I want to back there. We had some big old plastic storage tubs that I was about to dump into the recycle service in our town. Then I thought of a way I could use them for making compost.

Here is what we did:

Bill drilled a lot of quarter-inch holes into the bottom:

Then he used his reciprocating saw to cut out one side: 

 Here it is, perfect for composting:

I had some pressure treated boards that had been on the old compost bins and they worked great to hold in the compost in the new bins while it cures

 Here is another one we made from an old plastic rain barrel.

 Next week I'll show you how we made terrific garden containers from recycled cattle mineral tubs.