This compost bin is designed to be expanded with the size of the garden. For the 200-square-foot garden one bin would be sufficient to produce the 16 to 20 cubic feet of compost needed for a full year's supply of compost.
The ideal compost pile is 3 by 3 by 4 feet which fits into the dimensions of this bin. The bin is designed to be accessed from the front or the back; a feature that is convenient if the bin is located in or close to the garden.
The sides of the bin are made of hardware cloth and the front and back have air space between the enclosing sideboards. This design allows sufficient air to get to the pile.
The strips used in the guides for the sideboards require sizes not found in normal lumberyard stock. If you have a table saw or if you have a friend who has one these pieces can be made easily. If you don't have that tool you can have the lumberyard cut these pieces for you.
There is no cover included in this design; to keep it as simple as possible. There are many ways to cover the pie with the simplest being to lay a piece of plastic film over it. Any kind of material that will keep the rain off a working pile is satisfactory in this system.
A three-section bin would produce enough compost for a 600-square-foot garden. The design is laid out so that you can build one, two, or three sections depending on your needs.
