Want Compost But Have Limited Space? Try a 5 Gallon Bucket
For those of us with small home gardens or limited outdoor space, composting can seem like an unrealistic goal. Large compost bins take up precious square footage, and piles of decomposing food waste aren't always visually appealing. However, by composting in a 5 gallon bucket, we can reap all the benefits of rich, organic "black gold" without sacrificing space or aesthetics.
Composting in 5 gallon containers helps reduce landfill contributions from food and yard waste. It also provides an ongoing source of nutritious fertilizer to help our plants thrive. With a few simple materials and regular maintenance, we can create an efficient mini compost factory right in our homes.
Choosing Your 5 Gallon Bucket
The first step is selecting an appropriate 5 gallon bucket for our composting needs. Look for sturdy plastic pails in this size range, with secure lids to contain odors. Buckets designed for food use, hydroponics, or home brewing often work well. Drainage holes in the bottom are ideal, but we can also drill our own holes if needed.
Preparing Your Bucket for Composting
Before adding any compost materials, our bucket needs some advance preparation:
- Drill 8-10 holes in bucket bottom for drainage
- Place a 3-4" layer of coarser browns like wood chips or straw in bucket bottom to allow airflow
This drainage layer creates space for excess liquid to drain out instead of becoming stagnant. Good airflow helps speed decomposition.
Compost Ingredients to Use
With our bucket setup ready, we can now add our compost ingredients. For efficient breakdown of organic matter, our compost needs both "greens" and "browns":
- Greens - Nitrogen-rich items like fruit and vegetable scraps, fresh grass clippings, herbs
- Browns - Carbon-rich items like dried leaves, shredded newspaper, wood chips
By adding items from both categories, we achieve the ideal balance of materials needed by the microbes and fungi that break down the waste. Most household food waste counts as "greens." For "browns," collect fallen leaves or experiment with cardboard egg cartons.
Filling and Maintaining Your Bucket
As we add compost items, layering is important:
- Place 2-3" layer of browns
- Add 1-2" layer of greens
- Apply thin 1/2" layer of garden soil or compost activator
- Repeat layering pattern as bucket fills
Bury any food waste under 8-10 inches of other materials to prevent odors and pests. After adding items, give materials a quick mix with a shovel or compost aeration tool. This blending helps speed decomposition and maintain airflow.
Check moisture weekly - contents should feel damp but not soggy. Mist with water if needed. Turning the compost 1-2 times per week also improves oxygen circulation for faster results.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Even when properly maintained, bucket composting sometimes encounters issues. Here is how to identify and correct them:
Slow Breakdown
If decomposition seems stalled, the carbon/nitrogen ratio may be imbalanced. Try adding extra greens like coffee grounds or grass trimmings to boost nitrogen. Also check moisture and turn pile.
Unpleasant Odors
Foul odors often mean there is too little air or excess moisture. Try adding extra browns to absorb moisture. Also turn and mix the entire contents to improve aeration.
Improper Drainage
Standing water or overly soggy materials can lead to anaerobic conditions and rotten smells. Add more coarse browns to drainage layer and drill extra holes if needed.
Testing and Using Finished Compost
In 2-4 months, when contents resemble dark, crumbly soil with no recognizable food bits, our compost is ready for gardening use. To extract finished compost from the bottom layers:
- Remove top section of unfinished materials
- Scoop out mature finished compost from bottom/middle
- Place unfinished top layer back in bucket to continue decomposing
This finished "black gold" can be mixed into garden beds or container plants as a nutrient booster. It also makes an excellent potting mix ingredient when starting seedlings.