Ideally, the wetness of compost pile should be similar to a damp sponge. If the pile is too dry, add in some water and close the barrel door.
Foul odors must also be attended to because they can signify that the compost ratio is not proportioned properly. Different types of odors require different actions. If the compost smells like ammonia, the compost pile needs more brown waste. On the other hand, an overpowering smell of grass may signify that the compost is not properly aerated.
This smell can be minimized by continuously mixing the compost to promote the evaporation of moisture. Most compost tumblers can produce compost as early as three weeks. Good compost will have an even brown color throughout and feel granular to the touch. The compost should smell earth-like. Another obvious way to determine if the compost is ready to be used is if the compost pile has broken down to half its original volume inside the barrel.
When you are sure that you have produced the right quality of compost, you can unload it with a shovel or by turning the tumbler over a wheelbarrow or other container with the door open. Now you can use the finished product to fertilize the soil in your garden. They practically make composting simpler, so why not give them a shot?
Before ordering your very own compost tumbler , you would first want to know whether they work. They also have what some consider as a too-good-to-be-true promise of churning out compost in just two weeks. Add these two together and you have a completely new and unfamiliar composter that raises the eyebrows of even experts in the field. But does it deliver? Compost tumblers truly work if you know how to use them properly, just like your traditional compost bin.
Due to its design, it requires some particular steps for it to work. Nothing too complicated or difficult, though. There are actually just two major things you need to remember to do to ensure the best results. Of note: I checked the website to see if I could find pricing. Hmmm… design flaw leading to its extinction? There are some DIY versions made out of plastic, lidded trash cans that could approximate this design easily, and easy on the wallet as well.
This tumbler is flipped on its central axis. These tumblers are loaded through the top. Some models have an aeration tube going down the center. The tumbler is flipped around its central axis for aeration. I have to say I have no pros to contribute. At home, I ended up using the one that was given to me to store tools in.
Cons: It is difficult to load and even more difficult to unload. We had a unit similar to this at the Center and its lid warped. Because we could not fit the lid back on, the tumbler became completely unusable.
There are other various models of tumblers out on the market. Remember to do your research and read reviews before purchasing a tumbler.
Pay close attention to door hinges and closures because if you cannot close the compost bin, it cannot be tumbled. Consider loading AND unloading the bin. Think about how the bin when tumble when full. The featured small 56 gallon tumbler could weigh almost lbs when full!
There are reasons, though, other than taking the work out of turning, why a tumbler might be useful. By Helen Gazeley. What you get out of a compost tumbler Of course, lots of us don't turn compost weekly and wait considerably longer than 14 weeks for it, so cutting the time it takes to make compost may appeal. Before you rush out and get one, do consider the following, though: A tumbler must be easy to turn, or you won't bother.
A larger tumbler will produce compost more efficiently than a smaller one To gain compost in three months, the tumbler has to be well filled in one go. Add to this the time taken to fill it, and consider where you'll compost subsequent material while the tumbler's doing its stuff.
Adding more bulk part way through the cycle means that you have to wait longer, so that the later material can break down too.
Compost tumblers tend to be summer workers. Unless they're very well insulated, cold weather prevents them from heating up fully. Advantages of compost tumblers There are reasons, though, other than taking the work out of turning, why a tumbler might be useful. If you have a rat problem.
It's not the only way to combat vermin, but the right choice of tumbler provides an instant solution: something metal, with the compost compartment held well off the ground without needing large air gaps because the tumbling achieves aeration. Tumblers like these also allow you to compost food waste that is normally taboo—small amounts of meat, fish and fat—as the high temperatures will break them down quickly and vermin are excluded. If you have back problems which prevent your turning the heap.
Choose your equipment carefully.
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