Making compost barrels help please

[pepper]

I have 5 more of these food grade rain barrels coming so this is a test one. I'd like to know opinions on this idea please.

I would like to have 4 compost barrels, aside from my heap of compost that I've always had. One barrel filled with all brown. Half rotten hardwood blocks, coffee grains, and some dried leaf mulch. basically all brown compost. My plan is to let the fungus go nuts in it.

The others I will just toss in whatever in green or brown other then one barrel I won't put any holes in and make fish fertilizer. Just a water bung at the top to release pressure.

I am not sure if I should put more holes or smaller holes? Because I am thinking I can roll them around on the ground once a week to stir them up aside from the fungus one.

The holes are not perfectly lined up. I have been working in the sun since this morning so making it pretty wasn't in the agenda lol. Next ones I'll use masking tape and line them all up.

 

[pepper]

Aside from that notice all the maple tree seeds starting to fall. I hate them lol, it's an endless task pulling out maple tree sprouts all year.

 

[Chuck]

I have 5 more of these food grade rain barrels coming so this is a test one. I'd like to know opinions on this idea please.

I would like to have 4 compost barrels, aside from my heap of compost that I've always had. One barrel filled with all brown. Half rotten hardwood blocks, coffee grains, and some dried leaf mulch. basically all brown compost. My plan is to let the fungus go nuts in it.

The others I will just toss in whatever in green or brown other then one barrel I won't put any holes in and make fish fertilizer. Just a water bung at the top to release pressure.

I am not sure if I should put more holes or smaller holes? Because I am thinking I can roll them around on the ground once a week to stir them up aside from the fungus one.

The holes are not perfectly lined up. I have been working in the sun since this morning so making it pretty wasn't in the agenda lol. Next ones I'll use masking tape and line them all up.

View attachment 96933

I really don't think the soil bacteria, fungi and microbes really care if the holes are lined up in parade formation. And I can see where random spacing could be of benefit when rolling it around.

 

[Meadowlark]

You might consider adding something aka chicken wire inside to cover the holes, so materials won't leak out when rolling. It does not matter the pattern of the holes, but you don't want to lose materials in processing. Also, those barrels for compost would benefit greatly with the addition of animal manure to increase the nutrients greatly in the resulting compost.

 

[pepper]

I really don't think the soil bacteria, fungi and microbes really care if the holes are lined up in parade formation. And I can see where random spacing could be of benefit when rolling it around.

No, they don't care. But there will be someone somewhere for some reason thinking it would look better if those dang holes were lined up lol!

You might consider adding something aka chicken wire inside to cover the holes, so materials won't leak out when rolling. It does not matter the pattern of the holes, but you don't want to lose materials in processing. Also, those barrels for compost would benefit greatly with the addition of animal manure to increase the nutrients greatly in the resulting compost.

Yes I was thinking about stuff falling out the holes. Next one I'll use a small bit with more holes. I have a friend with horses that I can get manure from so I'll add some of that. You mean somewhat fresh manure I assume?

 

[Meadowlark]

... You mean somewhat fresh manure I assume?

Yes.

 

[pepper]

Filled the barrel up with half rotted hardwood blocks. Some branches and a bit of soil. Soaked it and I could smell the fungus in the blocks that already had the white veins growing through it. Haven't got any manure yet but maybe this weekend I'll stop at my friend's farm. I am looking forward to seeing whatever mushrooms start growing on it. I'd love to see them growing out the holes in the side. I still need to set up my oak logs to rot away with some fungus too. I love the smell, maybe strange lol. It will take a couple years to turn into mushroom compost but watching it will be fun. Anyway I am just rambling, excited to do something new. I'll keep it all watered to speed things up.

 

[pepper]

Set up some oak logs in a pile today. Added some apple, walnut, elm and I am not sure what the top one is but my guess is cedar. Shoveled some compost between everything so with some water everyday hopefully it grows some interesting fungus. I put it in a spot that gets no direct sunlight.