In article , Jaques
d'Alltrades writes
The message .com
from "fingers" contains these words:

I currently compost stuff in bin liners with a few holes in the bottom
and it works quite well. I have read a bit about composting in a
compost bin and would like to try it as it will look tidier.
I also want to get a water butt so that I can water plants growing in
containers while I am on holiday.
So my idea is to get 2 identical water butts and make one a compost
bin. The plan is to drill 10 or so 1/4 inch holes in the sides about 2
inches from the bottom for ventilation and 4 or 5 holes in the centre
of the bottom for drainage.
Now the questions.
.. Is this a good plan for the compost bin? Do the holes need to be
bigger?

Yes, the holes need to be bigger. Your best bet would be to get some
rigid plastic net - usually used for climbers, etc, and which has quite
large spaces - and roll it into a cylinfer and clip/tie/weld it up. To
ensure the outside of the composting matter doesn't dry too much to keep
up with the middle, you could wrap some plastic sheet round the bottom
foot or so. You can rest it on concrete blocks or a sheet of
something-or other. You could keep it in a trough (the bottom of a
plastic bin, perhaps), but if you cover the apparatus, there should be
little if any gunge to collect.


The composting drum that I use (in addition to the heaps) is a cross
between a standard butt shaped composter and a wormery.

I used a medium large plastic barrel/drum (can't remember what
originally came in it - food stuff of some sort I think - but it was
clean). It had a lid as well.

I got another thin piece of plastic sheet and cut a circle out that
would fit in the barrel about 6-8 inches above the bottom. (The inward
sloping edges of the barrel towards the bottom mean it doesn't easily
drop to the bottom but I put a couple of housebricks at the bottom of
the barrel underneath the sheet just to be sure).

The plastic sheet had lots of very small holes put in it. Between the
sheet and the base of the drum, I put a normal waterbutt tap in. Added
some ventilation holes up the rest of the barrel. Stood the whole thing
on a wooden raised platform. Added compost and worms from the heap.
(Actually, its now stood perilously on top of an upturned very big clay
flowerpot as the wooden stand started to disintegrate and I haven't got
round to knocking a new one together!)

Every now and then, I stick a can or bottle under the tap and decant the
gorgeous (non-smelling) black liquid off from the bottom and either
store it in old water bottles or dilute it and use it as feed on plants.

Putting the sheet in stops it getting too soggy at the bottom - and the
worms from drowning. Having the holes small reduces the amount of
solids and worms falling through to the reservoir at the bottom. (Dead
worms tend to clog up the tap!)

The worms seem to love it and its nearer the kitchen than the heaps. I
only put household veg trimmings, old fruit, egg shells, bits of paper
etc in it.

When it looks as though there should be a good layer of compost, I upend
it onto a plastic sheet/tarp, separate the done compost from the
partially rotted (where the vast bulk of the worms are) and fresh waste
- then put it back in and continue as before.

The worm family in the barrel must go back a good few generations now.
This particular barrel was put together around 1998 and I've never had
to top it up with worms.

--
regards andyw