Compost bin mark I

Sally using compost bin mark I, originally uploaded by 21goodlife.

After clearing away what seemed to be a jungle's worth of overgrowth from the embankment to Kingsway Bridge, I set about building a structure to use as a compost bin. Next time I clear nettles, I'm going to try wearing something more than shorts and T-shirt. What was I thinking!

I was trying to be economical with the bricks, so I could actually build two; or maybe three; compost bins. The idea behind having multiple compost bins, is so that you can separate the various stages of composted material. One bin will contain mature compost; ready to use, the other with new. Plus; moving compost from one bin to the other, aerates and mixes the compost, which actually helps the composting process too.

Things didn't go quite to plan though. Being 'skinny' with the bricks, and building directly on soft earth without foundations, meant that the structure wasn't stable enough. In fact, it looked like something out of a shanty town - and that's insulting slum dwellers.

In the end, I took it down. I was going to have to be less frugal with the bricks, and build something much stronger.