On the dirt or on a concrete slab, either way should be fine.

Very nice, what are the dimensions?

You might want to consider putting a top cover on it for two reasons.
1. Keep the rain out.
2 Keep any critters out if you plant plan to add kitchen scraps (and who wouldn't add scraps).

Rain or too much water will just stop a hot compost pile in no time. Making the cover removable may be easier than adding hinges. IF it is on hinges it can get in the way.

I just moved my bin into the garden and added some hardware cloth all the way around - top, bottom, and sides.

It's 3 x 3 ft. square (a little small by some standards but the perfect size for me and my yard). A top is probably a good idea to keep animals out of it. Normally we don't get enough rain for that to be a problem (although the last few days have been really, really wet!) Thanks for the advice!

I think a 3x3 is just the right size for a home composter. I think 4x4 is a bit too big for a home composter. A 4x4 holds sooo much more.

A 3 x 3 x 3, 1 cubic yard, is the minimum size, volume, that will help the bacteria that digest the material fairly rapidly. Few compost piles less than that generate the heat that indicates the bacteria are actively working. I have found, over the years, that a 4 x 4 x 4 compost pile works better.

kimmq is kimmsr

Understand that you can build a 4x4 bin or 5x5 or 6x6 but if you do NOT have the material to fill it what is the point, seriously?

3x3x3=27 cuft
4x4x4=64 cuft
64-27=37 cuft
That my friend is more than twice the size.

That alone can be why many people fail at composting. You can make it 2x2 or 30inx30in IF you want.

pugm0ther Can you point us to a link where you found those plans?

In case no one mentioned it, a compost pile will stain concrete with the dark brown leachate that comes out the bottom. Depending on the slope, it may run off one way or another and stain more than the area just under the bin. It's harmless so if that doesn't bother you, go right ahead. I personally would not put one on concrete because of the staining.

Toxcrusadr, thanks for the heads up about staining. It's on an edge of the driveway that is already discolored, older concrete so I'm not too worried about that.

Gumby, here's a link. I haven't used a link function in this forum before so if it doesn't work, search: "King County KY portable compost" and it should pull up the instructions in a pdf.

Portable Wood & Wire Compost Bin

What I like about this design is that two sides are hinged and then the four sides are put together with hook & eye gate latches. By unhooking the latches, it's easy for me to life the sides and reposition them.

Kimmq, if someone wanted to make the bin 4 x 4 they certainly could but that would probably be too much for me to lift easily.

Thanks for all the help everybody!

The link works fine, TY. I like that design, the size and that you can make it rodent proof by simply adding a cover. Make it bigger or smaller by changing the dimensions.

Here is another design but smaller too. IF I made one of these I would use it only for leaves and grass clippings as it is not rodent proof.

http://www.vegetable-gardening-with-lorraine.com/compost-bin-plans.html

But then a ring made from old wire fencing will also hold the leaves and grass. And is cheaper and much fast to assemble. I have more than 6 of these :-)

I like it! Thank you for the directions. I have made a chicken-wire ring, but the sides, but it was harder for me to lift when I needed to turn it. The "lorraine" design woul be fun to build.

It's handy to have a fence circle full of leaves or other browns next to your bin, so you can layer them over greens when you add them.

The thing about having a compost bin, is that as soon as you get one, you find out you want two, or three.

I think chicken wire is too flimsy. I got some welded-wire fencing my neighbors was tossing. Like this stuff...

You can make 5 out of that 50ft roll - 3ft wide x 3.14 = 9.42ft needed for one. I wouldn't go higher than 3ft but if you have 2ft wire already just make it 4ft diameter - 4ft x 3.14 = say 12 ft.

• So make it 10ft since we ain't buildin no watch. When you cut it one side will have "tangs" you can use to bend over the other side to hold it in place. When you need to remove the ring - bend the tangs back and peel away from the pile. I assume you were having trouble lifting it up and off?
• I say get the smallest diameter fence "holes"

You can find several welded wire fence fabric meshes that range from 2 inches by 4 inches to "Tot Lot" with 1 by 1 mesh. There is also field fencing available with meshes quite tight at the bottom to as large as 6 x 6 at the top.

If there is any fluid, "leachate", flowing from a compost pile that compost pile is too wet.

kimmq is kimmsr

Perhaps, but I challenge you to build a compost pile on concrete and NOT get a brown stain.

The thing about having a compost bin, is as soon as you get one, you find out you want two, or three.

Hmmmmmmm Tox, sounds like ukuleles around here! LOL Nancy

I'm going to flog my favorite compost bin design here. Four 4' wooden pallets and bailing wire. I use leaf bags to line the compost bins and one to cover the top of the compost. In another incarnation, I split a pallet in half to make a half-high front side to make it easier to fill. I doubled the bailing wire and use it to tie the corners of the pallets to each other to make the box. Very cheap, very easy, very portable, perfect size. You can add additional pallets to make an second, attached compost bin.

I'll have to post a picture of what I'm talking about, but it is such a no-brainer design and I think it will eventually become the norm.