Making Your Own Compost Barrel

Compost has been around for as long as there has been vegetable or plant matter. 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 method that is very popular 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. An important thing when deciding on a barrel is to ensure that it hasn't been previously used for toxic chemicals or any other type of 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 are interested in recycling, you may be able to get your barrel from a food service organization or 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. Space the holes approximately four to six inches apart, and even drill a few holes in the bottom of the barrel to allow for the drainage of excess moisture. Make sure that if you are opening your compost container from the top the lid is hinged as well as latched. A lot of people sometimes turn their compost by rolling the barrel around their gardens or yard, which obviously could be disastrous if the lid was to come off. 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 build or purchase 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.