Homemade Compost Bin 55 Gallon Drum

It takes a full day to customize the drum and build the stand.
Homemade compost bin 55 gallon drum. Leave the metal drum sealed to cure the compost for at least 2 months. Options include standing barrels in which you stir the compost or more complex styles with frames and rods for tumbling the material. How to build a compost tumbler from 55 gallon plastic drum duration. The longer side should be parallel to the length of the barrel.
The most difficult item for you to obtain may be a 55 gallon plastic drum that forms the main body of your compost barrel. If it s a 55 gallon barrel you can outline an 18 by 12 rectangle. Rich black compost conditions soil and adds nutrients to boost plant growth. These barrels are generally very available to most folks and are very robust and will last many years in the elements with.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 two more times to finish heating the composting materials. The measurements for the door will differ depending on the size of your barrel. Our version of a compost barrel is an adaptation of that using a plastic 55 gallon drum. Here s how i build a tumbling composter out of a 55 gallon blue barrel.
The first and simplest of mother earth news three compost tumblers uses a 55 gallon drum set on steel roller skate wheels attached to a wooden stand. This is contrary to some of the suggestions from the video below but makes sense and you can find food grade drums for cheap on ebay. Look for them at local garden supply shops for food grade barrels comments rethink survival. Do this for several minutes to mix up the composting materials inside the drum.
The compost tumbler drum and stand together cost about the same as the low price models but our composter is built stronger and has more features. Check with friends and local companies to see if they have one available. A 55 gallon drum barrel can be converted in several ways to make a compost bin for turning food scraps and plant material into compost. Replace the drum in its location.
Nice project if you can get 55 gallon barrels for cheap. If your barrel is on the smaller size like 20 to 30 gallons trace a 12 by 12 square. They all follow the same basic design a drum on a stand.