This is the mix I am using, a slight variation on the one I posted a few days ago. I'm using more soil to give the mix a bit more 'body'. I hope this will give me heavier specimens.
10 litres sieved compost
4 litres vermiculite
3 litres sieved sand
8 litres sieved soil
3oz superphosphate
3oz potash
3oz lime
3oz calcified seaweed
1.5oz hoof and horn
Using my own contraption the compost and soil (bought-in bagged sterilised top soil) are easily and quickly sieved to remove all lumps. Note my RHS diary in which I record all my mixes each year so that I can refer back to make any minor changes.
They are kept separate until mixing time. Here is the sieved compost
The wife's kitchen scales are important for measuring out the various fertilisers.
Then the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. I use the kids' old plastic sand pit.
I use a length of plastic drainpipe to take out a two foot 'plug' of sand before boring the rest of the hole with a metal bar. This ensures that the neighbouring holes are not interfered with as I grow 7 holes in each drum which is quite a lot. Most top growers reckon on only 3 or 4 holes for this size of drum, but I just cannot afford that luxury. Note the tape around the pipe to make sure I extract he same amount from each bore hole.
Empty the extracted sand into a bin.
Force the crowbar down into the hole, and using a circular motion bore each hole to the same depth and diameter at the top. 
Trickle the mix into the hole, slowly at first so that it reaches the very bottom of the hole.
One drum done....another 4 to go!
Here are the seeds on some damp kitchen towelling indoors. They should start germinating in a week or so.
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