While a compost barrel can range from as few as 5 gallons to as much as 55 gallons in size, it is most commonly the 55 gallon size that is used for composting. The most important thing when choosing your barrel is to be sure that it has not been used previously for toxic chemicals or other hazardous materials. This could contaminate the compost and subsequently poison or otherwise harm you. Generally, a plastic barrel of about 55 gallons will work quite well. A lot of people make decisions on barrels that are safe for food. If you have an interested in recycling, you may find that you are able to get your barrel from a food service org. or even a restaurant. If it has been used for cooking oil, you will need to clean it very thoroughly to get rid of all traces of food out of the barrel.

Once you have your compost barrel cleaned and ready to go, you should drill half inch holes all over the barrel, in about six to nine rows. Make the holes approx 4 to 6 inches apart, and then make a number of holes in the very bottom of the barrel to enable the drainage of extra moisture. Make sure that if you are opening your compost container from the top the lid is hinged as well as latched. A lot of people sometimes turn their compost by rolling the barrel around their gardens or yard, which obviously could be disastrous if the lid was to come off. You can also create an opening in the side of your barrel, again making sure that it has hinges so that you can open it and a latch so that it can be securely closed while you are rolling it to turn the compost.

Of course, a compost barrel is not the only structure in which you can create compost. You can also build or purchase a compost bin. In addition, with just a length of builders cloth or galvanized wire fencing you can create a compost bin that is easy to move from place to place. You can also buy readily made compost structures, but these can cost quite a bit.