[MiddleEarth]

Thanks!

Any recommendations from anyone on a cheap, enclosed, outdoor composting bin? I’m going to try composting for the first time.

[ImProudToBeAnAmerican]

The trick to successful composting is sunshine, moisture and turning pile often.

You can use a trash can, make a simple frame with scrap lumber, or just of pile of compost on the ground.

Compost ‘works’ better in a sunny spot, but moisture and turning more important.

Turn your compost pile every 3 days or so, and add water to maintain a high moisture content.

I use a rake to pull the compost pile apart, and then repile with a shovel - makes a tough project as easy as possible.

Consider using a compost screen to remove/recompost larger pieces as you start to use your compost.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

If you can get your hands on an old 30 gallon or larger drum, you cut an access door and drill some holes in it for aeration. Periodic turning of the compost can be achieved by simply rolling the barrel on the ground, or you can devise a stand with a turning handle.

The best plans I ever saw for a homemade compost bin used 2 old baskets from washing machines that were welded together and mounted on a stand. The air holes are already there and you make an access door.

But the cheapest and easiest way to get started is to find a spot on the ground and begin piling your kitchen scraps and yard waste there. There is really no need for an official 'bin'. You can turn it over with a garden rake or shovel when the time comes. That is the way that I started, and I still have a pile that is closer to the house than my compost enclosure.