The compost is the source of nutrients in your own garden. Old wooden pallets are ideal for making compost yourself. You should consider a few aspects before construction and when filling it afterwards.
A cheap composter can be built from pallets
What to look out for
Use pallets from the EU, because these may only be treated and processed in an environmentally friendly way. You can see where the pallet came from from the marking. “EUR” means that the pallet comes from Europe. They bear the abbreviation "HT", which stands for Heat Treatment. The abbreviation indicates that the wood has been treated with heat.
Pallets from other non-EU countries are often treated with environmentally harmful substances. If the pallet bears the abbreviation "MB", then the wood has been treated with methyl bromide or bromomethane. This substance is harmful to both the environment and health. Refrain from using these pallets for a homemade compost. The substances can be washed out by rainwater and accumulate in the compost substrate.
The construction
To prevent the wooden pallets from sinking into the wet ground and starting to rot, you should use bricks as a foundation. Two stones are placed next to each other at the corners of the future compost rack. For a rectangular construction, place additional bricks in the middle of the long sides.
Place the pallets upright on the stones. The top of the pallets faces outwards. The construction gains stability through additional boards. Lay the wooden planks on the corners of the pallets perpendicular to each other so that they form a triangle with the pallet edges. Fix the boards in the pallets with nails.
Square constructions should be fully enclosed by pallets. With a rectangular model, you can leave one side open so that you can easily drive in with the wheelbarrow.
These are the advantages of self-made compost:
- high capacity
- ideal ventilation
- old pallets are reused
How to fill the compost
Start with a layer of dry material. This is followed by a layer of fresh compost to feed the new batch with microorganisms. Make sure that you fill the compost alternately with moist and dry organic waste. In autumn and spring you can rearrange all the compost.