why we chose to build a compost pile and how we did it on a budget

This fall, amid the busyness of repair projects, we took some time to create a compost pile. While it may seem that this could have been a lower priority, there are several benefits to composting that I wanted to take advantage of and encourage you to consider.

There are so many benefits to composting. Every vegetable scrap or eggshell you compost reduces food waste and, through composting, can be turned into a valuable product. Compost can be used to amend your soil for gardening, adding back nutrients to help your plants flourish. Instead of bagging yard waste or leaves, you can compost to generate rich soil, keeping nutrients from your plants on your property. The compost you generate reduces the amount you may need to bring in from other sources, reducing cost of gardening.

There are many different ways to compost and different options for premade bins you can purchase. We, however, were looking for a budget friendly option. The solution – using pallets. Inspired by the MI Gardener, we sought to create a compost station along our back fence featuring two compost bins.

We started out with a pallet search. Larger stores recycle pallets, but smaller grocery stores or nurseries or even restaurants are less likely to, and will often put them out by the garbage, free for the taking. Pallet hunting was surprisingly fun. My husband and I spent an afternoon looking for pallets around where we live, going to local shops and asking if they had any available. Specifically, we were looking for four pallets for our project: three standard size, and one long pallet.

For our compost design, we used the long palate as the back of our compost station. Next, we positioned two pallets on either end. The last pallet we trimmed to match the length of the others with a circular saw and placed in the middle, dividing the compost into two sections. The two sections allow for one side to have new compost material being added, while the other side decomposes into soil. To support the palates, we cut some scrap 2x4s with the ends at 45-degree angles, to create a brace that we screwed into the pallets in the corners where the side pallets joined the back pallet. While, functional without, we added a coat of non-toxic black paint, to elevate the look of the compost pile. This feature makes the compost station much prettier and helps give a uniform look (as pallets sometimes vary in color and build).

I love how this project turned out and have been so excited to get to start using it this fall, especially with all the plants I have been cutting back and leaves I have been raking. I can’t wait to get my first load of compost from it soon! I hope you are inspired to compost and be encouraged that it doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. In fact, with a few pallets and screws you can start today.