Читать книгу The Allotment Book - Andi Clevely - Страница 46

The tidiest and most efficient way to make compost (see pages 116–17) is to assemble all the ingredients in a bin. (Having two bins is preferable, though: after you have filled one bin, leave the contents to decompose while you fill the second.) There are various kinds, from simple folding corrugated plastic squares to sophisticated models with liquid reservoirs, insulating jackets and integral top blankets. Many local authorities offer discounted bins.

Building your own compost bin is an easy and inexpensive alternative, using a simple style and waste materials. Possibilities include:

▸ wire mesh arranged round four corner stakes to make a square container, lined with cardboard for insulation.

▸ a large sturdy cardboard box with holes cut in the base and sides; this rots down with the contents.

▸ complete builder’s pallets set on edge and tied or wired together; pack the cavities with newspapers or straw.

▸ a clean oil drum or plastic barrel, perforated with 2.5cm (1in) holes in the base and about halfway up the sides of the drum.

▸ a plastic dustbin raised on concrete blocks: drill holes in the base and catch the liquid in a tin.