How do you make a hot composter?
Hardiness Zone: 11
By kieran from Scotland
Hi, I like the Instructables site, www.instructables.com, for things like this. The site has many designs for build-it-yourself composters.
I just made a place against a brick wall. Put stakes to make a small square and then put chicken wire around three sides to leave an opening. I just began putting my scraps (no meats or fats) and dirt from used pots, newspaper, etc. It began to compost almost immediately, in a week or two! With all the dry weather we have had you may have to "water" it once in a while, but sparingly.
Open composters are great, easy and effective, but in colder climates they can stagnate for much of the year. I purchased a plain black plastic trash barrel with lid, drilled a few dozen holes in the base and up the the first few inches of the side. Use a couple shovels of garden dirt as a starter, place in the sunniest spot you can, turn once and a while and watch its moisture level. It has become one of the best composters I have ever used.
Does anyone have or know where I can get blueprints for making one's home composter? The store ones are very expensive.
