Garbage Can Composters

Do I really need to explain more than this?

You need a drill with a 1/4 to 1/2 inch bit. 

1 piece of PVC pipe

1 garbage can with a lid

I used 1/4 inch holes because it is very dry in Calgary and I wanted to keep some of the moisture in the can.

The pvc pipe was about 18 inch taller than the can and needs a bunch of 1/4 inch holes all over.

It provides aeration by circulating the air and helps the composting process stay aerobic and not a stinking mess.

These are small composters and need all the help they can get.

So far so good. 

They are are easy to roll and turn the compost . 

No smell but still the right moisture level.

And damned good looking!

We've been having some rain and I had to cover the bins (I have 2) to keep them from getting waterlogged and anaerobic.

I left them uncovered for a day of rain and then covered them up.

Worked fine.

That's it.

The PVC pipe cost $3

There's lots of info on composting online.

I think these smaller units would be good for balconies.

They are a good size fit for one or two people's kitchen waste.

I'm using 2 Roughneck cans between 3 people and it's working well.

Remember the green/brown rule and you should have decent compost in 3-4 months.

I've read that comfrey leaves will accelerate the composting process.

I have it growing in both yards and have transplanted them as cover for one of my raised beds.

It's a pretty tough plant and all of the divisions seem to have taken well in the bed..

It's a  great nitrogen fixer and a dynamic accumulator in the garden and a compost booster.

Gotta try that!

I'm told to expect it to return from where I harvested it in the yards.

I'm curious to see how invasive it is in the bed but also how to harvest it for it's many excellent medicinal properties. I'm still not sure about the healthy state of the soil it's been growing in.

Will it help my shovel elbow?

Get a drill and get to work.

Cheers.

Quick and Easy Rain Barrels/Surge Drums

Harvesting rain water for the garden is an important part of just about any permaculture design in Calgary.

I've been sourcing out rainbarrels and find that they all come in around $100 for the basic and up to $200 for something that looks better.

Fancy Pants version for Hollywood movie star millionaires

For my design I don't need to store the water in barrels as I intend to store it in the ground by directing it right through the swales. 
So, instead I chose to put together a surge drum/rain barrel for about $40 (including garbage can) and it works great.

My humble and frugal version that holds about half of the one shown above

First step is always to see what is actually available on the site that could be used. 

I found 4 discarded Roughneck plastic garbage cans in the back yard that had been left behind by a series of previous tenants. 
They must have had some garbage issues because there was a lot of it in the backyard and none of it in the gabage cans.
There were also three hoses that worked.
Great Start!

Two of the garbage cans had lids and I used those to make composters (next blog). 
Getting replacement lids is not difficult nor expensive and I'll wait and see if they are needed to keep debris out of the surge drums.  So far it hasn't been a problem.

I fitted the lidless cans with inexpensive plastic faucets, a couple of rubber washers, and a lock nut.   $14
I found the plastic faucet at Canadian Tire. $12

It took a 3/4 inch spade bit for the hole in the garbage can and an Exacto or Olfa blade to cut a larger hole in the washer.
You might not even need washers but I used them and trimming the washer was easy.
The faucet will thread (screw into) through the 3/4 inch hole. Put the second rubber washer on and the lock nut ( $0.79 and $1) and that's it.







I have a hose connected to mine and it directs the water to the garden

The barrels work best up on stands to provide gravity force and the faucet hole should be just a couple of inches (2) from the bottom. 

Keep in mind that the faucet connects to a hose and you will need a stand to provide clearance for the hose. Be advised, plastic buckets are better for vermipods or growing upside down tomatoes more than they are as a stand for your drum.

Figuring it out

I had to rejig the downspout in order to have the drum in a more discreet location. I didn't need to use any new parts but I did have to cut one of the lengths of downspout.

This above pic was very early in the process and you can see that I have the hose acting as a siphon. 

It worked but was a little finicky and would stop flowing easily.

Final

You will also note that the finished drum is no longer on an upside down plastic bucket.  I picked up as great molded plastic stand at Value Village for $6

We had a lot of rain and the drum did a great job of getting that water to the garden and not spilling around the foundation of the house.

From the roof

Direct delivery into the swale

Filled

I can still use the drums to store water for a brief period if desired.

Unless there is rain forecast, I like to close the faucets, fill the drums at night, and use the water the next morning to water the beds.  It allows for the chlorine in the tap water to go away and isn't around long enough for mosquitos to breed in.

The faucet allows me to reduce to flow to a drip and a full barrel will empty in about 3-4 hours at that rate.

Connecting a series of them would very easy and I may add another barrel to allow me to drip feed longer.

So there it is.

The total cost was under $30 for two surge drum/rain barrels.

(I didn't have to buy any Roughneck garbage cans which I think are about $25-30 new.)

Finding used garbage cans (without holes) might be a challenge but any large sturdy plastic container will do.

Get a drill and get creative.

Next: fast and easy composters.

DIY Water Level

This spring I took the Permaculture Design Course offered by Rob and Michelle Avis at Verge Permaculture.
After the very first day I knew I had really found my tribe. The course is excellent and the people I am taking it with are even better. All of them are really smart, motivated, enthusiastic, positive, and especially generous with their time, knowledge, and energy (go to a permablitz and you'll see what I mean).  From the first day the ideas and knowledge bases have been swapped out and everything is open source.  Inspiring.

One of the things that I especially enjoy is the aspect of 'creative resourcefulness' that is emphasized in the course. I needed a water level for my own Permaculture garden design and wanted to try to make one for less loot.
So, with that in mind and in the spirit of sharing, I have come up with a simple, inexpensive water level that can be put together and used in about 10 minutes. The whole deal cost less than $20.

Here's what you'll need:

1.- A 10 litre Aqua Pak Jug $10 (CDN Tire)













2.- 1 Dripmaster 3/8" (interior diameter)  threaded elbow nipple $1. (Home Depot)






3.- 20' of 3/8" vinyl tube See pic above $7 (Home Depot)
4.- A long stick (I used a 4ft 1/2" dowel) See pic above

5.- 2 Pan ties








6.- Masking Tape - In the above pic I have many different contour levels marked off with tape on the stick. I was using a drop of 1 inch.
There's no reason why you wouldn't just use one piece and keep moving it.









What you need to do:


1.- Remove the spigot that came with the Aqua Pak. 
I kept mine in case I find I need a water jug more than a water level.
I also like that it can have more than one use.

2.- Replace the spigot with the threaded elbow. The threads match but I had to trim a little of the excess white plastic to get the elbow threaded. You may not have to.














3.- Insert the vinyl tube into the nipple. It will pressure fit inside the nipple and will not require any sealant (eg silicone).



4.- Attach the vinyl tube to the stick with the pan ties. One at the top and the other a couple feet from the bottom.
5.- Fill up the jug, tip it over and place it on a stand of your preference (like in the top pic) and you're ready to go.
6.- I use masking tape to mark my set point but you can also use a marker or attach a yardstick to your stick and use the numbers instead to note your levels.

I was also able to pick up bundles of 10 flags at Home Depot for $4.  I needed about 10 bundles.

And that's it.
It worked great and no leaks.

Cheers