Composting on a small scale

[Stephen]

Hi
I have read this thread http://forum.kitchengarden.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=13383&p=130993&hilit=composting#p130993 and it is useful (not that I have a builders bag).

I have two spaces: the garden and the allotment.
On the allotment I use three daleks, which are OK but nothing better than adequate. Between them they provide enough volume and using three allows me to mix the contents and extract all or part of one to feed the others. I water them, turn them, mix stuff up and manage that way. There isn't sufficient material to fill three New Zealand boxes of a metre cubed.
At home, the garden is much smaller and as I live by myself, I produce little in the way of waste. Potato peelings, some leafy matter, coffee grounds. All the usual kitchen waste but from just one person and when mostly cooking for yourself, there is very little waste.
In the past, one of the daleks was at home but never really filled up, so I tried a wormery (my mother's unwanted one). I have mentioned this here http://forum.kitchengarden.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9079&p=91669&hilit=wormery#p91669 and here http://forum.kitchengarden.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=241 which was satisfactory.
Sadly the system died (possibly when I was working away for a month) and the container, as plastics do, gave up after years outside.
One problem is my absences, often away fora week, occasionally for longer (lucky to be working!)

So, what is the reccommended approach? A small open box (or two small open boxes)? Another small wormery? The daleks are very, very cheap but i can modify some pallets. It is worth mentioning that in the handkerchief-sized garden, I want to keep things fairly tidy, there is nowhere to hide the composting behind some bushes.

Thanks for any observations and advice.

[Stephen]

I'll just add an extra detail:- after the wormery died I started using a cardboard box as a container. During the winter it all went a bit squidgy and dry and crispy during the summer but when I dug it out this afternoon there was lots of lovely stuff at the bottom.

So I was wondering about having a cardboard box within a frame of welded mesh. Obviously two of them.

[Geoff]

I'd use pallet wood to make whatever size and design you feel comfortable with the look of in your garden. Builders bags are for tucking away in the far corners of a big garden.
Paper and cardboard are the most obvious way of bulking up what you produce at home. I shred all my junk mail (you have to suffer twinkly bits from window envelopes), receipts, crosswords that I print, some newspaper, etc. and tear up cardboard boxes (stripping the brown tape off first can be a pain). Particularly useful if you have some grass mowings to get rid of as it stops them going a slimy mess. You could perhaps grow a small patch of Comfrey and compost that instead of making liquid fertiliser with it.

[Stephen]

Thanks Geoff
Yes plenty of cardboard and shredded bank/credit card statements. Tick.
Yes, stripped of packing tape. Tick.

Patch of comfrey? Tough. The garden has half a dozen currant bushes and some gooseberries and rhubarb. Then one space for some herbs. No space for grass.
I must shift the rhubarb as it is too dry and too sunny in its present location. When I shift stuff about this winter, I'll see if I can make some room.