DIY Composting barrel v2

DIY rolling compost barrel

Composting at home is a great way to reduce your landfill footprint by recycling your kitchen and yard waste into a rich compost that will benefit your soil and plants. As you know from a previous post, I built a rolling compost barrel from a used olive barrel purchased from a local recycling firm for $17.00.

For the past four weeks, I have been adding egg shells, coffee grounds/filters, tea bags, vegetable scraps, grass clippings, dead flowers, native soil and some composted horse manure into the rolling bin. The barrel is rotated every 1-2 days and watered to keep the medium moist but not wet. If the barrel smells I add more brown material and if it does not heat up I add more green materials. Ratios can vary but more brown over green is better. 

Over time you will notice small red wiggler worms, scientifically known as "eisenia fetada" which are a breed of earthworm adept to working their way through decaying organic material. Oddly, they are not usually found in native backyard soil but they are extremely beneficial to the transformation of garden waste to compost so lets welcome them with open arms! Sort of.....

The advantage of a rolling bin v.s. a stationary compost pile is the time required to produce a finished compost material. Most pundits say that a rolling compost barrel will finish in about 3-4 weeks v.s. 6+ months for a pile. In addition, raccoons, rabbits are discouraged because they can't get into the barrel. When completed, the compost can be mixed with native soil or used as a top dressing for vegetables and flowers. Some pros of this magical product are:

• Helps to retain moisture in sandy soils
• Enhances air and water drainage in heavy or clay soils
• Maintains a pH level benefiting plant growth
• Keeps the soil penetrable allowing for optimal root growth
• Prevents erosion of the soil bed
• Provides a natural environment for earthworms and organisms
• Contains macro and micronutrients necessary for optimum plant growth

Adding compost to your garden is the most organic means of transforming native soil into a crumb texture full of nutrients. 

The following video will show you how the barrel is turned to provide oxygen and speed up the decomposition of raw materials.
In addition you will get an update on "growing potatoes in pots" previously posted on May 11, 2016. Compost on, my friend.