My husband and I are looking into buying a drum composter, but we are not sure what to do!?!?!?!? Would we be better off buy one over the winter and starting up in the spring??? Can you store the compost over the winter months in plastic bags?? How long does it took to make???
Start one anytime of the year, but if you have the chance start one now. Fallen leaves of autumn are perfect to start with. You need 'browns'-dead leaves, dead grass and plants(without seeds) and 'greens'- kitchen scraps to make compost. During the winter just leave it in the drum. Unless it is completely covered with snow or ice, you will be adding kitchen scraps to it year round. Remember that kitchen scraps are vegie and fruit peels, egg shells, tea bags, coffee grounds, leftover uncooked vegies and fruits....but no meats, cheese, gravies, cooked foods tho.
Like Toni said , begin the compost now , doesn't make a difference . I am not so meticulous about the greens and brown , I just make sure the pile is not too dry or too wet . And I throw all kitchen scraps , including cooked food . The only rule is not to put in meat or milk products . As for a drum , maybe it is ok if you are finicky about having visual or physical contact with your compost . I prefer an open pile that I made out of wooden pallets so that I can touch my compost . It is infintely satisfying to create soil so to speak out of 'waste' . I suspect I would make a compost even if I am not growing at all .
I have heard that many people who compost do add cooked food as long as the vegies don't have butter or sauces on them. I have a drum mainly because it is easy for me to keep it turned but also because our city doesn't like compost piles if they can be seen by the general public. We have chain link fence around the backyard that means anyone going down the alley, the neighbors on either side or across the alley, can see it (even tho they couldn't care less) therefore I can't have one.
