balcony compost?

[STHLMgreen]

A question:
Is it posible/feasible to have a small compost on your balcony?

We already compost and the council collects it, but I was wondering if I could do a mini-compost on our balcony, as I'm growing things in containers and don't have any ground to do it on right now.

I think we probably couldn't have a compost with worms, as they wouldn't be able to handle the winter here and there's no room for a bin inside the apartment.

Anyone with any experience on his one? Containers, how etc... I won't be able to spend any money buying a fancy composting machine, it will have to be a homemade contraption.

Thanks in advance!

[wulf]

Hmmnnn... could be tricky. I find that my compost bin (about 45cm diameter and 1.2 high) fills up pretty quickly although you wouldn't have such a volume of garden clippings to add to it. Also, that kind of composting is helped by volume (retaining internal heat) and contact with the bare earth beneath (for visiting worms).

I'm not an expert in "vermiculture" but it might be worth another look at what's involved. There may be some way you can insulate the bin enough for the worms to have a fairly good chance of surviving the winter even if in a fairly dormant state (or even, although this sounds harsh, expect them to die off and stock up with a new handful in the spring).

Wulf

[Muddypause]

I have seen composting bins that have no contact with the earth. The one I am thinking of was a sort of horizontal plastic barrel on a stand that could be rotated, milk churn fashion, to stir up the contents. I seem to remember that it was sealed, without airholes, so I guess was anaerobic composting. I believe that it was intended to produce liquor as well as compost - ie you could periodically drain off liquid nutrient. I imagine it would be slower and smellier than aerobic composting.

[Wombat]

Yep, definitely slower, smellier and anaerobic. I found that the drum ones tended to loose too much heat and the rotations just formed balls of yech! Worm composting is the way to go I think. If properly managed it should not be smelly.

Nev

[hedgewitch]

Check out this link greeny
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... php?t=1227

The only problem I've had so far is that it fills up rather quickly - I don't have worms in mine either and it's starting to mulch down very nicely - no smell or anything. I do turn it well once a week with a fork though so I think that is the secret.