Not sure Rachel, we have birds around the main gardens where a lot of it went. The raised beds where we are seeing the problems are not being invaded by birds. But if they want to eat the bugs more power to them. I picked up a crank duster this week, shame they don't make battery operated ones, and it maks spreading the DE much less of a chore! We have been on a 3 year plan to improve our clay loam by adding compost each year. I have a small start for next year but a couple years ago we sold off all of our livestock so access to manures is poor.

I would suggest you put it back and let someone else try it. I purchased a new tumbler and after two years found it was more trouble than it was worth. Gave it away. Currently I use two large mesh bins that work well. The tumbler center bar broke after four years, but by then I had already switched to hardware cloth mesh bins. There is not ONE right answer to which bin or system is the 'best' choice. You will find others who like their tumblers. But first read up on composting, some of the GW threads on tumbler, and short articles on composting in general. The way it should work: 1) Person reads up on composting 2) Person looks at their yard, local regulations, resources, needs for compost, soil 3) And only then selects a composting bin or system which is approciate for the person, yard and situation.

Here is my experience of letting wet grass clippings sit in black plastic bags in the sun in hot weather. They get Hot! and so does the bag so be careful lifting them up to dump, It was hot enough to burn once! They also get stinky and slimy and perhaps breed some anaerobic bacteria. I wouldn't worry too much about all that if you don't mind the stink and slime then it isn't such a big deal. Heating in a bag might help some to kill weed seeds but I wouldn't expect it to do anything about fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. If you are worried about chemicals the gather grass clippings at your own risk. I don't use much chemicals personally but I am still willing to collect grass clippings for my compost. If you have been composting mainly with leaves before, you might be suprised to see how hot grass clippings can make a pile get. A big glob of wet grass clippings might not make really pleasant compost so I do my best to spread it out before covering with a layer of leaves or other carbon material. Just so you know, the strong smell is a sign that the nitrogen is escaping so it is good to mix with carbon material is the pile as soon as you can or you loose a little of the benefit of the grass clippings. If the smell starts to get like the bottom of a samp or pond muck, that is a sign that things have gotten anaerobic and you want to avoid that when you can. Experiment a bit and see how it goes. Composting doesn't need to be very complex. If it is not heating up, it needs more nitrogen or moisture needs adjusting. If it is smelly, it either needs more carbon or it is too wet. Starters, inoculants, soil, tumbling, and turning are not required. Only time and a mix of materials. Good luck with it.

I'm am experimenting with upside down this year, partly as a result of orphans needing a home, partly out of curiosity. One in a standard hanging basket and I doubt it has enough soil but its handy for water, in a shady spot and has a cover crop of something I yanked from the wifes beds. Not very scientific but it's an orphan :-) Did another yesterday in a 5 gal bkt. no cover crop yet. Containers that size are heavy and for tall tomatoes need to be up high. I won't be harvesting what ever the cover crop is but shading the soil seems a good idea. If it works out, this is what I'm thinking for next year. Some 3/8 air craft cable between well set posts or trees and a few clothsline props ought to be OK. Cable ties for spaced loops or just as stops and S hooks for hanging. I cut a 2" hole in the bottom of the bucket, placed dbl. strenght plastic with an X cut in it over that and carefully threaded the plant through all of that. Kinda cumbersome but with a hanger the right height, it was doable. Top it off with soil and hang. The good, No staking, no weeding, probably zero soil born problems and for taller plants that suffer blossom drop it may give more time for cooler temps to come. The bad, Since I want this set up mainly for the larger plants this thing will be high, will need a ladder for set up and take down and I'm thinkin a tube with a hook in it to reach for watering. Water does drip down over the plant and a fair amount of leaching would occour. The ugly. Squirrels and coons may think I built them a great edible toy. There is expense an even though buckets are cheaper than pots its hard to call them attractive though a compatible plant that would cover the bucket may be the trick. The uknown, The plants try to right themselves. Is there significant energy wasted doing this?