How to assemble a compost bin

• Rubber mallet
• Spade

Before you start, lay everything out on a soft surface (the flattened box works) and check it against the parts list in your manual.

• Side panels or wooden slats
• Lid with hinge or twist lock
• Access hatch or removable front boards
• Base plate or rodent mesh (if supplied)
• Clips or corner posts

1. 1

   Step 1: Pick a level spot on bare soil, partly shaded if possible, where you can reach it easily with a wheelbarrow.

2. 2

   Step 2: Loosen the soil where the bin will stand with a spade so worms can come up into it, and lay the rodent mesh or base plate if your kit has one.

3. 3

   Step 3: Join the side panels edge to edge, pressing each clip or slot home with your hands or a gentle tap of the mallet, until the body is a closed ring.

4. 4

   Step 4: For a slatted wooden bin, stand the four corner posts and drop the boards in from the top, leaving the front boards loose so they can lift out.

5. 5

   Step 5: Fit the access hatch at the bottom so it faces the path, and check it opens and latches.

6. 6

   Step 6: Put the lid on and check it closes fully; a lid that sits proud lets rain in and makes the compost soggy.

7. 7

   Step 7: Start the first layer with coarse material such as twigs for airflow, then add green and brown waste in layers.

• Standing the bin on paving or concrete, which stops worms getting in and traps water.
• Facing the access hatch toward a fence or hedge, where you cannot get a shovel in.
• Forcing a clip at an angle and snapping it off in cold weather, when the plastic is brittle.