On 11 Dec 2003 01:56:03 -0800,
(Nathan Critchlow-Watton) wrote:

Hi,

We have a very small garden, with no room for a "conventional" compost
heap. I have got access to a number of 25 litre plastic drums, and
was going to convert one of those. One of the main advantages will be
that I can turn it easily.
Can anyone point out any ways to improve this idea?:

Make about 30 5mm holes in the base of the drum. Stand the drum on
bricks, to allow air through. Wrap bubble wrap around the drum in a
forlorn attempt to insulate it. If I'm going to shake the drum, what
can I use in the bottom to ensure the air holes stay open, that won't
move about too much?

Filling it:
We'll only be using vegetative kitchen scraps, posted through the cap
hole. Should I try to "start" the compost with a couple of handfuls
of someone else's compost? Will pure kitchen waste be too rich? Do I
need to water the compost - bearing in mind that the cap will be on
all the time, so no rain wetting!

Once the compost is made, I'll cut the drum open to release it!

Further to Spider's recommendations, I've found that not a lot keeps
the air holes open - as the compost breaks down it simply falls into
whatever gaps you might have left and blocks the holes.
The only way to get air into the mix is to turn the compost, or at
least fork it over.
I've got an old fork that I've cut the end two splines off - this can
be shoved right into the compost, turned and lifted. Works a treat!

Watch out for rats - depending on how rural you are this might be a
problem. You won't believe how quickly they can gnaw through even
quite thick plastic, I've had to enclose my drums in fine chicken
wire.

I bung all vegetable waste into my bins on the grounds that it's been
jockeying for position on the vegetable rack - if there are any
diseases present in the veg then it'll find its way onto the other veg
anyway. Simply avoid any waste that's obviously knackered.

An occasional pot of urine will help to break things down, as will the
addition of a spadeful of fresh manure.

If you've no access to old manure to kick things off, a couple of
handfuls of soil should 'inoculate' the bin with an assortment of
organisms.
Failing that, a small sheet of black plastic placed on the ground over
some kitchen scraps will attract the brandling worms. Weigh it down,
or it will attract mice and rats too.

Regards,







--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk