My own homemade compost bin is easy to assemble and disassemble and works with whatever size compost pile I have at a given time. It is made of rough-sawn 1×12 hemlock boards, each 5 feet long. I cut the corners from both ends of the boards to create tabs. To keep the boards in place when they are stacked in a bin, I make the tabs into notches by screwing a foot-long 1-inch by 3-inch piece of wood across the end of each board. I make the notch slightly wider than the width of the boards to allow for some movement.
The finished boards stack tier upon tier, like Lincoln Logs. To assemble the bin, I place two boards on the ground parallel to each other. Then I slide two more boards into the notches to form a square. Each time I use a board, I put the opposite side inward; consequently, the boards have remained serviceable even after 10 years. A short piece of scrap wood held by a stake fills in the 6-inch gap at the bottom of the two sides where the boards are held above the ground.
Creating the notches
Cut the corners out of each board to create tabs at both ends. Then screw a foot-long piece of 1×3 board across the end of each tab to create a notched end. The notches will keep the boards in place when stacked.
Assembling the bin
The boards that form the sides of the bin stack like Lincoln Logs.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Spearhead Shade Gardening Shovel with Steel-Reinforced Fiberglass Handle
Reduce Digging Effort - The Spear Head Spade is the first hybrid shovel/spade, guaranteed to make your toughest digging up to 80% easier than regular shovels and spades, even in the toughest soil conditions. Ideal for landscaping and gardening.
Multi-Purpose Shovel - Spear Head Spade is a versatile tool that can be used for digging, planting, weeding, cutting, and edging. It is designed to handle tough soil and clay conditions, and can cut through roots and tough vegetation with ease.
Innovative Design - Has a unique blade design that makes it more efficient and easier to use than traditional spades. The blade is shaped like a spearhead, with a pointed tip and a curved edge that allows it to penetrate the soil more easily.
Ergonomic D-Handle - The large, cushioned D-grip offers comfort and better leverage for gloved and ungloved hands alike, reducing strain on the hands and wrists. Lightweight & Strong - Durable handle is made of special steel-reinforced, pultruded fiberglass to withstand heavy use. 60% stronger than EN-3388 shovel/spade standards, 33% thicker and 25% harder than normal shovels. Sharpened from tip to tail at a 35 degree angle for an effective and durable edge.
Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.
This weatherproof five-year log book includes the following features:
· Sturdy waterproof cover to protect pages from rain and muddy soil
· Lined pages and gridded paper for plotting beds
· Five years of 12-month bloom and harvest grids for recording what you planted and when
· Authoritative appendices on composting, pruning, pest and disease control, and container gardening
· Useful reminders by season on fertilizing, mulching, and transplanting
· Space for listing your favorite sources and suppliers.
Comments
What are the dimensions for the depth of the notches? Also, how long is the 1x3 piece of wood? It appears to be shorter than the width of the board.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in