If you are operating on a tight budget, and you can’t consider purchasing a composter, your remedy is to study how to make a compost bin from a garbage can. This article will help increase your knowledge of the major advantages of using chemical-free fertilizers on your tomatoes, peppers, and other garden plants. You don’t want to make a big compost bin since you want easy access to your compost fertilizer. 

Not everyone has sufficient space for a compost pile, and not all places allow composting in the backyard. However, you can actually compost in a small space using a garbage can. A trash can will only remain a mere trash can, until you try to see it from another perspective. The truth is that your trash can be turned into a very useful compost bin. Let’s see how.

1. Use an old trash can. If all you have is a balcony, patio, or just a very small space in your backyard, then make a compost using a trash can. Get your old and rusty trash can that has a very bad bottom. To make it look presentable and neat, just paint the outside surface. Green paint is recommended so it can match with the color of your garden.

2. Drill holes. Use a drill and 2 inch hole saw to drill a number of holes all over the trash can, starting from the bottom, to the sides, up to the lid. The holes should be 6 to 10 inches apart. Use a window screening with epoxy or duct tape to cover the holes.

3. Know what to put into the composter. Choose organic materials for your compost pile, such as fruits, vegetable peels, cooked vegetables (no salt or butter on them), coffee grounds, tea bags, tea leaves, egg shells, shredded papers, weeds, twigs, leaves, and other similar garden items.

4. Add garden soil. You should consider incorporating a shovelful amount of garden soil so that the waste materials will break down faster. The garden soil has microorganisms responsible for consuming and breaking down the compost pile. If there is no garden soil available, that is alright; you will still produce a compost, although it will take some time.

5. Observe proper ratio. If you have too many “browns” like twigs, shredded papers, dry leaves, and coffee grounds, the compost pile will not break down easily. If you have too many “greens” like fruits, vegetables, grass clippings, and weeds, the compost pile will become very wet and will emit a very bad odor. Many gardeners prefer to use a 3:1 ratio of “browns” to “greens” and they have proven this to be effective.

6. Avoid adding the following: Raw or cooked meats, grease, vegetable oils, dairy products, or any cooked foods. These items can bring bad odors, insects, and other unwanted things around the compost bin. Old fashioned gardeners used big steel drums and the smell was bad since they incorporated meat products into their compost piles; some of the composts have become the source of threatening viruses. Today, modern composts are mainly made from organic waste materials.

7. Check it frequently. After filling up the can completely, make sure to check it from time to time. Whenever the contents are dry, add a small amount of water. For fast heating, put the composter in the sun. Just make sure it doesn’t dry out excessively, or else too many nutrients will be lost.

The key to successful composting is to choose workable techniques and approaches. The factors that you must look into include the extent of available space you have, amount of materials to be used, kind of compost pile you want to achieve, and the time you are willing to spend. If you need small compost, you may need to exert a minimal amount of effort; if you want a larger one, you may consider creating an advanced three-bin unit. It is all up to you. You can start by learning how to make a compost bin from a garbage can inexpensively.