How to Make THE MOST EFFECTIVE Compost Bin from Pallets?

[@simplifygardening]

Want to go in-depth on composting? Check out my book Composting Masterclass. www.amazon.com/Tony-ONeill/e/B09Z79VFRB/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk

[@HOLLASOUNDSMUSIC]

Rats and mice will see the gap in the pallets covered in plastic board as a perfect home or hiding place. Also that sort of plastic is not always UV protected and starts turning to flakes after a couple years

[@GardenerScott]

This is an incredible compost system, Tony. You've taught me much in this video to make my own compost better.

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks, Scott, glad you enjoyed the video mate.

[@erwydconwyjester7321]

The best pallet compost bin tutorial on KZbin. Cheers Tony.

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks Erwyd glad you enjoyed it

[@hubrisnaut]

When I made my first pallet compost bin,. I connected it all together with old school metal cloths hangers...The metal hangers were used as connectors, hinges and a latch on 'the front'.

[@simplifygardening]

Yes thats a great way too. I find the sliding doors better as you can remove the top one to access but keep the bottom contained

[@hubrisnaut]

@@simplifygardening True.That was my first novice attempt 'on the cheap' many eons ago. It was a 3 bay batch unit. What I have been thinking about is building one in such a way that allows you to add raw material at the top and remove compost from the bottom. (because I want to build a 'continuous cycle' compost unit instead of 'by the batch'.)

[@simplifygardening]

I made this video because I have been asked so many times to make it when you have seen them in my videos. I hope it has given you all the info you need to build your own. Now to learn how to make the best possible compost, then watch this video next. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGLGh3aheMuqn5I

[@alfredjealouse7040]

I am really glad you did!

[@Lynda5876]

Thanks Tony! I was looking for a way to make pallet bins more attractive and you nailed it. 🤗

[@simplifygardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@laurelweiner8]

Two takes on your Scarecrow....very creative~

[@dannyakqj101]

Did anybody else think the scarecrow was his helper 😂😂

[@floramcarthurarbuckle9695]

Yes! Yes i did. I only looked back when i saw this comment 😂😂😂

[@mojosuzo9617]

Thought it was a Worzel Gummidge lookalike 😂

[@melodytenisch6232]

Thank you Tony! This is just what my daughter needs on her 1/4 acre. She just began gardening last year and this is very helpful. Much appreciated! Blessings.👵😊🎶🍃🍃

[@simplifygardening]

Oh thats awesome she will need plenty of compost there

[@SuzyTopAgent]

This was so valuable Tony! Having several together does seem like the most effective solution 👌

[@simplifygardening]

Its fantastic Suzy. They work so well 😀

[@SeanThompsonDC]

LOL. Get pallets for free, then spend a hundred on all the add ons. In the US the pallets are nailed with threaded nails and sometimes they have a glue which makes them impossible to take apart. It is great to see you use the whole thing like you did. Well done.

[@simplifygardening]

Pallets much easier to take apart here, especially with a pallet bar, but for this project its much better to use whole

[@MyFamilyGarden]

Really usefull video Tony, i've got to redesign my compost bins this winter

[@simplifygardening]

Glad it was helpful They work so well mate

[@HadassahHaman]

Great video! Thank you!❤

[@ChilliChump]

Thats some great looking compost Tony. Another fantastic video mate!

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks mate, Been nagged for this one for a while lol

[@GardenMyselfHappy]

Thanks for another great video. Top tip about the prolex, cheap as chips covering. Am in a mission to do away with my green bin I lay the council to collect. All the best, Jane

[@DailyLifeandNature]

Very interesting video uploading show us how to make homemade compost bin, it very important for gardening work , thanks for sharing to us such an informative and educational

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks for visiting, Glad you enjoyed the video

[@budj13]

Nicely done, Tony. I'm moving a huge amount of compost onto my beds right now and getting ready for a new cycle of composting. I'm going to check out your other video "composting do's and don'ts" also.

[@simplifygardening]

I’ve just emptied and refilled these

[@littlemisssunshine2931]

Thanks for flagging up the Proplex; I hadn't seen that before and it makes the whole thing look very neat really quickly. I have two compost bins that I made about 30 years ago and they are finally starting to look like they could do with being replaced so I'll use your system. Mine were constructed in much more expensive materials and were far more labour intensive to make so thanks for the inexpensive idea (especially during these Covid times where money is tight). Thanks for sharing.

[@simplifygardening]

They look great abd are extremely cheap to make

[@cathywilliamson6244]

Two questions: does the 'proplex breathe and will it keep animals out?

[@simplifygardening]

@@cathywilliamson6244 It doesn't breath it's not meant too, You need it to keep that heat in, the air never goes stale as the front and top isn't sealed. and what animals are you asking about? it's easy to chew through but if you are on about rodents you should not be getting them if you balance your compost right and you can learn how to do that in the video in the pinned comment, end card and cards of this video

[@hubrisnaut]

Congratulations! Smart man. You are the first 'tuber' I watch who said you have to select the "All" option when 'clicking' "the bell"... This is going to be interesting. Pallets are my 'go to' construction material for compost bins... usually free, sturdy and effective, etc...

[@hubrisnaut]

I believe the best position for compost bins are within the garden... I know, crazy huh?....

[@simplifygardening]

Yes they are a great resource. Thanks for noticing glad that the point of all is getting across

[@simplifygardening]

What a great thought lol

[@thehillsidegardener3961]

Nice, I finally stepped up my compost game this year, previously it was just a pile in the garden. Got four palettes and lashed them together, it's the ugliest thing, nowhere near as neat a job as yours! Added two more bays as and when these filled up. Three bays is enough really, for the volume of material I have available to put through the system, even though more bays would be handy for turning over and the compost would be ready quicker. This year I'll have enough of my very own lovely dark compost to top-dress a couple of large beds without buying any in, just from my own clippings, kitchen waste and what I can scrounge from the neighbours, so I am super pleased.

[@simplifygardening]

Thats perfect its about making as much as you can, then buy in anything else you need

[@thehillsidegardener3961]

@@simplifygardening Yeah, it's becoming a bit of an obsession though, sourcing organic material. I'm thinking of offering to clear neighbours' plots (some are unused and overgrown), because a plot full of grass and weeds is a massive amount of material in one go. No-one is giving away woodchips and the like round here unfortunately...

[@simplifygardening]

@@thehillsidegardener3961 Well consider the other gardens we will be having leaves falling soon.

[@davidthescottishvegan]

Someone must be reading my mind because that's actually what I am planning to build for my allotment and I need this video. Great video and instructions on how to build a compost bin.

[@simplifygardening]

Perfect timing for you then David

[@druszaj]

Thank you for the valuable information. We should also talk about the challenges that a compost bin creates - attracting all the rodents in a quarter mile radius. This is definitely a problem I've faced with my compost pile and I think it doesn't get focused on enough. Rodents can do so much damage to small seedlings, making sowing-in-place all the more difficult.

[@thehillsidegardener3961]

It's strange, might be a climate thing because I've never seen rodents in mine. I think it's important to always bury the kitchen waste under layers of brown stuff, I.e. have a pile of leaves, hay or something to hand and every time you add kitchen scraps then cover them with a layer of brown stuff. Very little smell gets out then, if any, and the critters can't get to it very easily, plus of course it's giving you the mixture of browns and greens you need.

[@simplifygardening]

Compost if done right does not attract rodents. Check out the video in the end card i cover this

[@simplifygardening]

It dorsnt attract them if its done right

[@simplifygardening]

Its turned anerobic thats the only reason

[@druszaj]

@@thehillsidegardener3961 You must be right about it being a climate/location thing. Here, just putting some cardboard over a patch of ground was enough to encourage them to move in and make tunnels underneath. Not being as close to an urban setting here may make them more aggressive in seeking out food

[@robbyers7614]

Thanks Mate! From the USA!! CHEERS!!

[@summerholiday12]

Thank you Tony! 👏 Very useful step by step and not too difficult to make your own

[@simplifygardening]

Its a great project to get the kids helping with too as its so basic 😀

[@Yorkcityknight]

Thanks Tony. That's my weekend plans sorted.

[@simplifygardening]

Have fun!

[@annjones3672]

Wonderful Mr. Tony! I have been waiting to see how you built these. I think they are very neat looking. They are better looking than the Daleks! Thank you for your videos. Take care.

[@simplifygardening]

So happy to finally get this one out Ann but its here now

[@UKscrapper]

Nice job on the pallet compost bin Tony great job you've done I've built mine next to me shed catch you on the next one

[@simplifygardening]

Brill paul. hopefully it will serve you well

[@Agui007]

Hi Tony, you saved my life! This is exactly what I was looking for! 😇 There's another UK grower who insulates his with Kingspan which is a bit expensive for but luckily...there is spare underlay in my shed! What staple gun would you recommend please?

[@adevonnaturegarden]

We have 2 pallet 'bays' here at the moment that are filling nicely. Just starting the compost journey and learning as I go. We have a spare piece of land behind our shed that we hope to make 3 or 4 bays. I have seen that plastic sheeting so will definitely grab some and use it to line it. 👍

[@simplifygardening]

That is awesome, make sure to view the video in the pinned comment it will teach you everything you need to know about compost

[@adevonnaturegarden]

@@simplifygardening thank you. I watched it a while ago but will go back and watch again and make notes. cheers, Glenn

[@garyz2043]

That's interesting, Was only today talking to a mate about compost heaps. It's the future.Mine is full and I could do with another. More the better. : ) Thank's for keeping us up to speed and motivated Tony. Much appreciated.

[@simplifygardening]

Thats perfect Gary so now you have a new form to try

[@janerikteveldal6778]

Hi Tony, I just started looking your videos and learn alot already, thank you. I see I did it all wrong about compost, now I build a 3 bin compost frame. My question to you is can I mix in the "compost" I already have only from greens, its like dark and wet, but can I use it? I will now make it mix it right with greens and browns, maybe put in some horse manure for get it starting! Again, thanks for your videos 😀

[@independentmind1977]

Greetings from Muskoka Canada, thank you for the assistance

[@michaelboom7704]

This summer has been my first my first season make hot compost.Since I ran out of stuff to use I'll soon be on the hunt for leaves and grass on garbage day.

[@simplifygardening]

Perfect, ask your neighbors to save theirs for you too

[@conregan7351]

Perfect Video .. just got an Allotment & this has ALL the information incl HT pallets anyone needs. Tx

[@simplifygardening]

Congrats on getting your allotment

[@tonykiwi]

I wouldn’t recommend using plastic floor protection. I did, the exact same stuff as used in this video and it quickly disintegrated (I presume from UV exposure) and now the crumbling plastic has contaminated my compost. I would recommend lining the inside of the bins with more timber, perhaps from dismantling more pallets if available. I think the size of your compost bin is more important than design. Pallet size bins are great, anything smaller isn’t very efficient. Just throw some sort of cover over to keep out the rain, especially in the uk.

[@simplifygardening]

Well this stuff has been on my bins for over 3 years with no issues other than a slight bleeching by the sun. If it starts to break down I will just remove it and add new. However I will also be building a roof structure over these so its not an issue

[@denisdufresne5338]

The main problem with the hot composting method is that the heating process create a lot of CO2, so you loose a lot a carbone so useful for your soil. When it is possible do like nature does, that is to say cold composting. Put your organic matter directly in any beds and let the micro organisms degrade the matter. Yes it takes more time than hot composting but it is a lot less work than hot composting and you keep a lot more useful carbon in you soil.

[@gloriaadu5485]

Thank you at seventy two i think i can give it a try come spring.

[@simplifygardening]

Have fun Gloria. Take your time and it will come together

[@kimiyemlsmallgardendream8115]

Saving this video!!!👍🏻❤️

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it

[@kimdeards7899]

excellent content

[@LindaPenney]

Thank you for sharing Tony was awesome I did not know about the plastic when I made mined

[@anamontecito]

Isn't airflow important in composting? I see the walls are closed in - which does look lovely by the way. I might be wrong, but info on KZbin is often contradictory so I would like to learn more about this method.

[@JBNat]

Thanks for talking about this video on shaun's livestream yesterday Tony. I'd missed this one. Definitely need to upgrade my bays!

[@simplifygardening]

Hey Pal. Im glad you found it. They are fantastic pallet bins to make compost in. and the flooring protection has lasted me 3 years and still going strong even if its faded a little where the sun has bleeched the tops

[@JBNat]

@@simplifygardening perfect!

[@dayanhamine7533]

Hi Tony i. Use my . . Old big washing machine . your way is prefect .

[@simplifygardening]

Thats a novel idea

[@KimmysKitchenandGarden]

That looks amazing!!!!! Much better then mine...

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks Kimmy. As long as it makes good compost to me the look isnt as important but people can be fickle with their gardens

[@benjamingough7497]

Hi Tony, quick correction: the pallets that you used in this video are standard 4-way pallets and not euro pallets. Euro pallets tend to measure 1200mm X 800mm and so are not as square as the standard 4-way pallets which measure 1200mm X 1000mm.

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks for pointing that out

[@benjamingough7497]

Simplify Gardening No worries. I’m sure my award for pallet based pedantry is in the post!

[@simplifygardening]

@@benjamingough7497 :) An award? wow I'm honoured lol :)

[@wendychadwick8091]

Just found you, brilliant! Thank you, we are making these very soon thanks to you!

[@simplifygardening]

Welcome to the channel Wendy they are great for composting

[@Tsuchimursu]

I'm doing my best to avoid plastic but I have some slightly bent roofing sheets so I think I'll just use those instead. And maybe stuff the pallet with rock wool to insulate through the winter....

[@kevinadams9468]

Now I know where Uhtred, son of Uhtred, got his accent for the Last kingdom! Seriously though, great video. I wish you well from southwest Nebraska, land of no water.

[@simplifygardening]

Cheers Kevin

[@neilleadler6824]

Needed it to be slower with more detail

[@latinoenturquia8486]

Thanks Tony.

[@penky1997]

Another amazing, informative video. Thank you so much. I will certainly be doing this in my new allotment 😁 x

[@simplifygardening]

Glad it was helpful Jenny

[@chelinfusco6403]

Excellent! Thank you Toni!

[@simplifygardening]

You are so welcome!

[@markh8213]

Tony, have watched this video a few times now and am going to give this ago in the next few weeks, but I have a question regarding the proplex sheets, do you need to wrap both sides of the pallets or is this more for aesthetics, and could you get away with just lining the insides of the bays?

[@malk1275]

great info am getting a hot compost bin perfect for a small garden

[@simplifygardening]

Yes they are great too

[@flywire76]

Great vid. Thanks Tony. Here via Mark from self sufficient me.

[@mangeraalbert7982]

Very much appreciated for your help tech

[@simplifygardening]

Thanks glad it was of interest

[@tanjowil9743]

Wonderful, Ty!

[@billbirkbeck4113]

Great video 👍 3 yrs on from this video what is the design like for retaining heat ?

[@johnnieblackburn3182]

I love your channel!

[@jimacheson4933]

Great video Tony. Thanks

[@simplifygardening]

Cheers Jim, I am glad you enjoyed it

[@cindygreen6900]

brilliant idea. Great information

[@simplifygardening]

Glad you enjoyed thanks

[@ianh9871]

Very imformative - Air flow, watched a guy in states using a bottom pallet covered in mesh to assist with air flow?

[@katiec4606]

Very helpful thank you

[@user-qv2nv1lo7c]

Tony, thank you for the informative video. I have a question regarding the Proplex surface protection. Won't using a pitchfork cause the Proplex covering to pierce and be ruined? Regards,

[@katiec4606]

thank you Tony

[@simplifygardening]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@adrianfielder4675]

Hi Tony, wow, that's interesting as it totally contradicts everything i've learned about compost bins so far?

[@andreakeller3792]

How does the air get into circulate it? It looks like you’ve covered it completely

[@46HarvesterOfSorrow]

Why the vinyl ? Simply to protect the interior walls from rotting? To hold in moisture? Heat? How resistant to punctures and tears from sticks, shovel, pitch fork.... just started a 2 bay and looking for all options for the interior walls.

[@jennagraham2797]

I am watching a number of videos to try to decide how to make my own bins. Many that I am looking at use chicken wire around the sides in between wood boards, but you completely seal your bins in. Do you recommend AGAINST using chicken wire for more aeration?

[@ReheatedDonut]

Do you add anything to the bottom of the pallets to protect from the ground? A few year ago I made pallet planters, and the bottoms are now absolutely rotted to bits.

[@ZeNex74]

so dont need a roof? ive built 2 pallet boxes and will do 1 full of horse manure but told to break down over a year, the other will be my collecting of stuff through this year.. any tips and a roof?

[@richardgeiger1578]

Thanks

[@mbb3913]

That's great!

[@simplifygardening]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@chloecrespi2403]

Any concerns about chemicals leaching from the plastic lining?

[@lukemurphy6315]

Great video, these look great. Just one question, if you have lined them with proplex and only turn them once, aren't you limiting air supply?

[@michaelmcclellan7442]

Exactly

[@simplifygardening]

Air supply is only required during the phasees of decomposition once its on the cool down its fine however enough air is trapped during the initial turn, check out any of my composting videos or even look at getting a copy of my book. Composting Masterclass

[@BigAlSparks]

Hold the heat in..... yet a lot of others say the pile needs air... I wonder which is better or better in a given situation?

[@debkincaid2891]

So useful! Love this. Thx so much. Subscribed.

[@simplifygardening]

Hey Deb, Glad you enjoyed the video enough to sub. Welcome to the channel :) Make sure to check out the compost video I pointed to at the end, this way you will know exactly how to fill it and get awesome compost

[@debkincaid2891]

@@simplifygardening I'll do that! Thx~

[@simplifygardening]

@@debkincaid2891 anytime

[@alexskeens9845]

This is a great compost bin!! my friend i will be adding this to my garden

[@simplifygardening]

Wonderful! Alex. enjoy it when you do mate

[@JoseighBlogs]

One thing about pallets is to ask is the wood they are made from accessed from sustainable forestry? And, if not readily reusable as for a composting silo we see so many broken pallets dumped about the place unwanted and left for local authorities to clear up from our streets.

[@simplifygardening]

thats where the stamps come into play

[@theseeker4911]

This is one of the videos I've been waiting for Tony!

[@simplifygardening]

Well its finally here for you 😉

[@childofyah-u-ah1370]

Hi Tony, I'm a new gardener, I have a two bin tumbler compost... it was working great until I stop blending my scraps and started putting in whole pieces of food. The attacked flies, which gave my compost maggots...(yewwww).... Yes they breakdown quickly and the soil looks great etc. My thing is when I go to use it, I don't want to introduce them into my raised beds and containers... *What should I do?*

[@jacobbrizammito7187]

By the time compost fully matures the larvae should be long gone. They have short lifecycle. They should not attracted to finished compost. Also are they black soldier flies or regular houseflies. The larvae look sort of similar but still very distinct. If its black soldier flies this is not really a bad thing. They can be allies. May need to cover food material better so house flies dont land on it to lay eggs. Whereas Black soldier flies lay eggs neat and above the old food not on it.

[@cw2126]

Back again 🤣 👍👍👍

[@simplifygardening]

Your enjoying them mate :)

[@richardgeiger1578]

Tony did you have any luck finding anything in the US? Also, how thick (mileage) was the vinyl you used. Thanks

[@paulsummerschronicles9192]

Yes! Does anyone know where to get the Proplex product in the US? I can't find it

[@thesmirkinggrape]

@@paulsummerschronicles9192 Another name is correx sheeting or corrugated plastic. You might find it under those names

[@gelandadunbar1182]

What could one use if w3 cant get hold of that floor protector to wrap over the pallets?

[@stevendowden2579]

nice video tony

[@simplifygardening]

Glad you enjoyed Steven

[@joanna_lara]

Has anyone used something besides the plastic sheets? I am having a HARD time finding them. I love the look of it tho

[@davidhughes7251]

Fantastic looking bin. One question though, how well has the plastic lasted? Has it gone brittle with the sun? Thanks.

[@simplifygardening]

No David and if you check out todays video you will see the bins in that and what condition they are in

[@lewismeadows9364]

Nice video Tony. How many sheets of the Proplex do you need?

[@simplifygardening]

depends on the number of bays, i used 6 in the 5 bay system

[@lucybellescott7531]

Look for HT symbol on pallets for safety

[@simplifygardening]

Absolutely right 'lucy

[@richardgeiger1578]

Does anyone know where you can find the black vinyl wrap used in the video in thre US or some other type of product that will work that is reasonably priced?

[@simplifygardening]

Sorry Richard I havent looked for it in the USA. I am sure you will find it as I have seen it on home refurbishment programs like this old house

[@richardgeiger1578]

Okay. I have been looking on-line but nothing yet. Hoping one of your US subscribers can help!

[@simplifygardening]

@@richardgeiger1578 I will have a look for you when i have 5 mins

[@traceyseymour5995]

@@simplifygardening Did you find that 5 mins? Or answer further down? I'm having trouble finding anything but paper products and poly sheeting...

[@WEE-AL]

Firstly, great video, cheers. I’ve just finished making a 3 bay compost bin pretty much exactly as you instructed. Just got one question. Should the front panels have gaps or holes for air to get in?

[@simplifygardening]

Sounds great!

[@autonomousish]

It seems like a great idea to help the bin last longer but haven't you defeated one of the main purposes for using pallets, "The ventilation".

[@simplifygardening]

Ventilation can be a good and bad thing

[@H2Dwoat]

Hi, great video thanks👍. Any issues with chemicals leaching out of the plastic floor sheets? What temperature do the bins typically get to? I’m just wondering if it might be worth capturing the heat to feed into a green house.

[@simplifygardening]

Wait for the upcoming video i mentioned it will be before spring but deals with the heat in a greenhouse. As for heat they will get extremely hot but thats not good either its all about balancing the nitrogen so that it stays at an ideal temp. Check the video in the end card

[@H2Dwoat]

Simplify Gardening: Cheers.

[@naimac2744]

Hi Tony, your design looks great. I've been gathering materials to make a compost bin as you have described here. I happen to have some spare celotex insulation and I was wondering would it be helpful to fill in the gaps of the walls of the compost bin with this insulation before sealing it with the correx sheets?

[@simplifygardening]

No dont do that as having them open will stop any rodents if you insulate them they will move in

[@geniusnocopyrightmusic9368]

How to protect composting process from heavy rain?

[@simplifygardening]

use plastic sheeting, but i will be building a roof over the bays later this year

[@_wormlet]

If I can't get a hold of this black floor protector, would black landscaping fabric be okay to stick to the sides instead?

[@donfaith3365]

I don't have room for a compost bin by pallets. I have 2 darlek type bins. they seem to be slow to rot down & get a lot of tiny black flies, How can I improve my compost & get a quicker result, preferably without all the flies.

[@simplifygardening]

you could turn it more. the issue you have is volume and that causes weight and warmth so it breaks down quicker

[@jackrussel8898]

Why play music in the background. What’s it for I find it very distracting to listen to your voice at the same time.

[@simplifygardening]

Sorry Jack. A lot of ppl like it. But also retention on the videos is over double with it.

[@twotone3070]

@@simplifygardening That's interesting.

[@darrenmilner4040]

How many sheets do u need for each bay please

[@jacquieexpat]

Thanks Tony, very helpful. Where do you get your pallets from?

[@simplifygardening]

You can pick them up on most industrial sites they are usually free for you to collect