Do you enjoy any of the following:

•  Landscaping?
• Gardening?
• Reducing trash at home?

If you said “yes” to any of these, then composting is definitely for you! By creating your own fertilizer, you can provide a constant source of natural nourishment for plants and cut back on the amount of waste that ends up in the garbage, all for free. Composting benefits you, your home, and the whole environment. What’s not to love?  Composting bins come in many shapes and sizes, but at Mister Quik we love to build things, so we’re going to share some do-it-yourself tips for making a composting system on your own. These homemade kits cut back on overall costs, and give you an even greater sense of satisfaction once the project is complete.  Ready to get your hands dirty and your garden growing?

Wood & wire

Perhaps the easiest method for constructing your DIY bin is with wood and chicken wire. Cedar holds up well in nature and is very rot resistant, but cheaper wood like pine will also do if you’re on a budget (avoid using pressure-treated wood, especially if the compost is going to be used on anything edible). For the extreme penny-pincher, salvaged pallets can be reassembled into individual bins.

Once the boards are connected, attach chicken wire to keep your compost in and scavengers out. Click here for a video guide to building a basic, no-frills bin.

Toss your trash

With a fixed bin, you’ll have to manually aerate your compost from time to time with a shovel, pitchfork or other implement. Tumbler bins, like the name implies, allow you to turn the compost with relative ease. There are plenty of pre-assembled kits for sale, but these often are very expensive to purchase. You can save a lot of money by building your own using a trashcan or plastic barrel, and a few extra parts.

For construction ideas and to see a homemade tumbler in action, click here.

Put worms to work

In the gardening world, worms might as well be superheroes. These little critters can compost organic matter much faster than traditional aerobic methods. Composting bins that rely on worms are called vermicomposters, and they are surprisingly cheap and easy to put together and maintain. Also, since worms don’t require much space, vermicomposters are perfect for small properties and can even be used inside. Worms play a significant role in soil fertility, and should really be considered if you want to make the most of your garden.

Build your own worm bin click here.

For more great ideas on improving your home all year long, make sure to bookmark Mister Quik’s blog. We also offer many expert products and services to enhance your home, indoors and outside. Contact us or visit our Indianapolis office to learn more!