[0-Yen DIY] Free Wooden Box to Compost Planter! Worms & Scraps Magic

Hello! This is “Zackie-saurus,” your favorite outdoor magazine editor.

In my last post, I enthusiastically talked about “making compost from fallen leaves for free!” But… I have a confession to make.

I bought mulch at the home center…! (Laughs)

I mean, I wanted to make it myself! But as an outdoorsman, sometimes you need to rely on the “tools of civilization” for speed. It’s an adult solution for those who can’t wait.

Instead, this time I decided to DIY a “Compost Planter” using a “Free Wooden Box” I got in Kumamoto! It processes raw garbage and grows vegetables at the same time—an eco-system that kills two birds with one stone. Here is my report!

1. 0-Yen Gear! The “Furusato Market” Box

The main gear for today is this. A wooden box I got for free at “Furusato Market“ in Kumamoto (Check out their BBQ info here)!

It’s sturdy and looks ruggedly cool just as it is, but it would also be fun to customize it with paint.

Actually, I get one of these every time I visit…

As you can see, they are already active as “shelves” in my house (laughs). Thank you so much, Furusato Market! This time, I’m going to turn one of these into a planter.

2. Setting Up Camp! Moisture Control is Key

If you place the wooden box directly on the ground, the bottom will rot due to moisture. Just like setting up a tent, airflow is the most important mission.

I used pruned branches from the garden to raise the bottom by about 4-5 cm. Now the airflow is secured! I decided to place it on the porch (Engawa) where rain won’t get in.

3. Operation “Mille-feuille”: Layering Time

Now, let’s start “Operation Mille-feuille,” layering materials inside the box. I’ll make full use of scrap materials and leftovers from the house.

1Bottom Layer: The Turtle Keeper’s Hack

Usually, you would put small twigs or stones at the bottom, but this time, it coincided with the bedding change for my cute housemates, the tortoises.

I spread the used bedding generously! It’s mixed with organic matter, so it looks like a great starter for fermentation.

2Recycling Old Soil

On top of that, I threw in the “depleted soil” that had used up all its nutrients growing shishito peppers last summer!

3Raw Garbage Input! (Flu Leftovers)

This is the essence of composting. I put in raw garbage accumulated over 2-3 days.
Actually, my family caught the flu, so there was a lot of leftover food… (tears). But with a compost, it’s all a resource!

Once the garbage is in, cover it with the “depleted soil” again, sandwiching it.

4Leaves & Neglected Planter Soil

Next, add fallen leaves like walnut leaves collected from the garden! This creates air pockets that microorganisms love.

At this point, the box is about half full. There’s still room. I also crushed and added some rock-hard soil from a planter that had been neglected for years.

4. Secret Weapon: “Full-time Employee” Worms

Here comes the main character. Since the worms I bought for fishing bait had multiplied, I “headhunted” about 10 of them as full-time employees.

They are the strongest staff members who move around in the soil to till it and decompose the garbage. There are plenty of benefits (food), so I expect them to work hard!

5. Finishing with “Pay-to-Win Items”

Finally, the lid. This is the “store-bought mulch” I mentioned at the beginning.

I wanted to make this part myself, but… fluffy commercial products look beautiful after all (laughs). Covering the surface with this helps prevent bugs and odors.

If I can get one more wooden box, next time I want to make a “100% homemade mulch planter!”

6. Planting Time! Radish Challenge

Plenty of water, and we’re ready!
Normally you should let it sit for a while, but I’m impatient, so I sowed “Radish (Hatsuka Daikon)” seeds right away.

In the lower layers, there are nutrient-rich garbage, tortoise bedding, and the worm employees. By the time the nutrients they decompose reach the radishes above, they should become splendid vegetables…!