November 2009 hot water compost heap

the lessons i learnt from last seasons hot water compost heap were

1. It was too far from the flat for practical use

2 the garden hose in the heap did not allow for practical turning of the heap.

last winter was one of the coldest in london for many years but the hot water i got from the heap was used to provide me with hot showers.

the site of me in my swim-wear in the back yard standing under a hot shower when the air temperature was close to freezing must have given my neighbours good reason to get me sectioned.

the effect of piping hot water on a cold day was wonderful and all for free.

this season i have built a compost container from reclaimed scaffold boards supplied by a local scaffold firm.

the container is raised off the ground and a removable floor is in place to enable the compost heap to be released and turned over.

i have placed the garden hose around the perimeter of the container