How do you use a compost tumbler?
panspipes
18 years ago
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paquebot
17 years agobrdldystlu
17 years agoRelated Discussions
Winter Tumbler Composting - Yes You Can!
Comments (15)Composting has been the realm of the gardener in the past, and that is the perspective that informs the "why bother with such an expensive and fancy gizmo." With renewed attention to landfills, "green" behaviors, etc., there are a growing number of people who are composting primarily to reduce the volume of trash (and methane produced in landfills), reduce the amount put down the disposal, and are only secondarily interested in the compost that results. They may not even be gardeners, to speak of. I know people who are composting in NYC on an apartment balcony, and in the small fenced in area behind a garden apartment. It is to these folks, and to the "casual" gardener that this type of composting appeals....See MoreWhat do you guys think of this compost tumbler unit
Comments (3)I have yet, after some 50 years, found anyone that has been successful in making compost with one of these. So that begs the questions: A) You haven't found anyone at all using one of these? or B) You have found someone that is using one and they haven't been successful? If so, how many, what feedstock did they use, did they follow instructions, was it batch or continuous and how many times had they used it? FWIW, I know of no one who uses one and am therefore not qualified to make a comment regarding their suitability. I have had people ask about them so I would also like to get factual information on the unit. Maybe I'm just better off getting one and trying it out myself. Lloyd...See MoreDo any of you guys use a ComposTumbler?
Comments (28)A note on using straw or sawdust in the tumbler, those are HUGE nitrogen eaters and to compost them will take a lot more green sources than you would normally use. I found with my tumbler that a 40/60 mix of greens/browns resulted in the 14 day compost that they advertise. For greens I used fresh grass clippings and for browns I used the usual mixture of shredded leaves, brown paper, etc. I turned it every day and never added any water to it. The grass was that soft, fluffy really green stuff that was about 6" tall in early Spring when we mowed it. I've never gotten the same result with grass that wasn't that fresh. Granburyflowergirl you've added too much moisture or moist ingredients to your tumbler and you should dump it out. If the inside of the tumbler stays too wet for extended periods it will rust and break. My mom had one, but it was located where the sprinkler system hit it every night when she watered the yard. Her tumbler rusted out in less than two years. But I called the Compostumbler folks and they sent me some new parts for free, since it was still under the 2 year warranty. I've never had any problems with mine and when the contents are not too wet, I don't have any trouble turning the handle either. It would be nice to get finished compost every 14 days, but it's just not possible with ordinary ingredients. I start a new batch in the fall with ground up leaves that I moisten before I put them in. Then through the winter I add our kitchen waste a couple times a week. Usually by about May the tumbler is finished and what I get is mostly leaf mold which is wonderful stuff. I've had my tumbler now for about 15 years. Since it doesn't smell and doesn't look real icky either I can keep it fairly close to the back door. In winter I don't have to walk too far to put stuff in it. DH prefers his ground compost bins to the tumbler and he makes a lot more compost than I do, but it's really hard work to turn the piles with a fork, sift the finished product and store it in barrels. Cheryl...See MoreTime to make full blown compost using a tumbler?
Comments (3)I think the "no meat" rule is about animals, about the way meat decomposes relative to plants (a lot slower), and about the dangerous types of bacteria it attracts as it breaks down. I put helicopters in my compost all the time. They decompose directly or sprout and then decompose as the sprouts get mixed back in. If the compost is fully broken down, they won't be a problem. You want to avoid putting in weeds that have gone to seed though, e.g., dandelions. Those seeds seem a lot hardier. Okay before they have flowers though. For greens, I use leftover produce from the kitchen and soft greens from thinning plants (a never-ending supply of lily of the valley leaves)....See Morebrdldystlu
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