How To Make Your Own Compost Barrel
Composting has been going on for as long as there's been vegetables or plants. In the late 20th century, composting became popular as an alternative to chemical fertilization of crops. Compost is organic and has the virtue of not adding chemicals or nitrates in excessive proportions to the soil. Of course, the question arises whenever composting is an issue in gardening of what plant matter should be composted in. One popular method is the use of a compost barrel.
While a compost barrel can range from as few as 5 gallons to as much as 55 gallons in size, it is most commonly the 55 gallon size that is used for composting. The most important thing when choosing your barrel is to be sure that it has not been used previously for toxic chemicals or other hazardous materials. This could contaminate the compost and subsequently poison or otherwise harm you. Generally, a barrel made of plastic of about 250 litres works very well. Many people choose barrels that are food safe. If you have an interested in recycling, you may find that you are able to get your barrel from a food service org. or even a restaurant. If it has been used for deep frying oil, you will need to scrub it clean to get all traces of food out of the barrel.
Once you have your compost barrel cleaned and ready to go, you should drill half inch holes all over the barrel, in about six to nine rows. Make the holes approx 4 to 6 inches apart, and then make a number of holes in the very bottom of the barrel to enable the drainage of extra moisture. Make sure that if you are opening your compost container from the top the lid is hinged as well as latched. Many people turn their compost by rolling the barrel around their yard, which could be disastrous if the lid should come open. You may additionally create an opening on the side of your barrel, again ensuring that it has hinges so that you can open it and a latch meaning that it can be securely closed and locked while you are rolling it to turn the compost.
Of course, a compost barrel is not the only structure in which you can create compost. You can also make or buy a compost bin. In addition, with just a length of builders cloth or galvanized wire fencing you can create a compost bin that is easy to move from place to place. You can also buy readily made compost structures, but these can cost quite a bit.
