Does anyone use a ComposTumbler?

[paintlady]

I saw an ad for the Compos Tumbler. It is a big round drum that is supposed to be able to make compost in 14 days. I am wondering if anyone has one of these and if it works like the ads say it does? I think it would be awesome to have if it works.

[wmsff]

I've got one, and it looks like it would be easy, but not so fast. I've found it to take a very long time to compost. I even put in an additive I got from Gardeners supply.

I made a tumbler about 10 years ago using two of those large plastic tubs you see at Walmart, the ones with the rope handles. It may not work now as the plastic appears to be different and wimpier.
I cut a door in the bottom of one and hinged it on. I then drilled holes along the rim and bolted it together. To make it tumble, I drilled two holes through one and put through a metal bar. I made a frame with 2x4s to suspend it with the bar. I rotated it to mix. Worked fairly well.

[tinknal]

They rely on biological action creating heat. Useless for most of the year in Minnesota.

[CocalicoSprings]

I have a homemade barrel composter with a hatch at one end that bolts shut. It's on a frame so it can spin or rotate. I cannot quite figure out why it isn't working. I have put in leaves, grass, kitchen waste and a little water. No good result. It's a stinky mess with lots of flies. Whenever I open the hatch to put in some more kitchen scraps, the bugs fly out in droves.
What is the problem? I am sure I am doing something stupid!

[Alice In TX/MO]

They require a LOT of management.

[Paquebot]

My big one has worked great for 15 years. Add to it year around and make about 5 big batches per year. One of many advantages is that it doesn't take up as near as much room as a pile. Another is that there is no loss of nutrients due to leaching. What you get out of it is better than any pile and is quicker with less physical labor involved.

Martin

[Paquebot]

For recent discussions on the topic, see previous ones at:

no longer want a compost tumbler

Compost tumblers

Martin

[foxtrapper]

Didn't find it to work nearly as well as the basic compost heap on the ground.

[Fowler]

No, I use pallets. They are free and work better

[Laura Zone 10]

HATE IT!
Loaded it last year..........LAST YEAR, did everything by the book.......
Um, one year later? Yeah, no compost.
Blew over in the latest storm, on top of my tomato plants.
It was a 'gift'.....and I will not throw it away out of respect. But I would not give you 5.00 for it.

[motdaugrnds]

I have a large round composter with a handle that lets you keep it turned easily. It was given to me and I have never used it. Don't even know how! Suspect I will start learning as I don't like to see anything go to waste.

[trbizwiz]

I got one for free. It was in bad shape. I had to replace the sheet metal, repair the fiberglass ends adn I under coated the frame. It works ok. but it does not , I repeat it does not make finished compost in 3 weeks like the add says. Maybe it could make finished compost that fast if you precomposted very well shreadded ingredients for several weeks and finished it in the tumbler.
I think these are more for city gardeners. It has a neat clean appearance, adn is somewhat compact. But I woudl say you would need to leave stuff in it for a month or more turning it every day. Which is not easy by the way. Then at the end of a month or month and a half put the partially composted stuff in a pile. Probably add carbon at that time to prevent odor, and in a few months you would have compost to use.

[ronbre]

sold mine worked well but was hard to get compost out of it..for this old lady

[Paquebot]

Piles, pallets, bins, or anything else can never match a tumbler. No pile, pallets, or bin can mix and aerate any material as good as a tumbler. No pile, pallets, or bins can return a higher percentage of the material's nutrients than a tumbler. Apparently it's much like learning to ride a bicycle. Some people just have to go through life with training wheels!

Update on my latest batch is that I've been forced to keep the heat cycle going longer than planned. It was about to be finished until more cull pigeons went in. They'd need about 10 more days to break down. Then I shot a couple of young squirrels followed by 4 rabbits and they need just over a week. Timing has worked great since I'm adding about a grocery bag of pea pods daily. Running only about 120º but that's enough to cook the critters. Also getting too wet from all the moisture in the pea pods. As soon as the peas are finished, in about another week, that super spring batch will be dumped and the summer batch finally started.

Martin

[willow_girl]

HATE IT!
Loaded it last year..........LAST YEAR, did everything by the book.......
Um, one year later? Yeah, no compost.
Blew over in the latest storm, on top of my tomato plants.
It was a 'gift'.....and I will not throw it away out of respect. But I would not give you 5.00 for it.

Sell it! I picked one up 'curbside shopping' ... and got $50 for it on Craigslist!

[SpiderLegs]

We used them at camp. Kids rotated after adding stuff after each meal. It is well mixed after two weeks, but not finished by any means. You need the bacteria to build up to sufficient numbers to eat the carbon material and that will not happen in two weeks. We found that by rotating between two drums it was ready for the garden after a month. First we used drum one for two weeks, rotated three times a day.... filled drum two was rotated on even days. after month drum two was emptied and started new while drum two went on even day rotation schedule.

[Paquebot]

Originally Posted by SpiderLegs

We used them at camp. Kids rotated after adding stuff after each meal. It is well mixed after two weeks, but not finished by any means. You need the bacteria to build up to sufficient numbers to eat the carbon material and that will not happen in two weeks. We found that by rotating between two drums it was ready for the garden after a month. First we used drum one for two weeks, rotated three times a day.... filled drum two was rotated on even days. after month drum two was emptied and started new while drum two went on even day rotation schedule.

You called it finished in a month, which would be right for starting with less than a full load. I've mentioned the 14-day fact so many times but few grasp it. Regardless of how one handles it, be it a pile or whatever, 14 days is about maximum length of time that a batch can maintain heat. When the nitrogen is gone, that is the end of actual composting. After that, it's merely rotting at a rate no faster or slower than if it were in or on the soil. To get it back to heating, it must have continued additions of nitrogen. Then you'd be back to composting.

There are forums and web sites which specialize in composting. Few here bother to visit them but many here are quick to discredit them. That's a pity since recycling of nutrients is becoming more and more important. That's why there are millions of simple pyramid "earth machines" sold usually at almost cost all over the country. They work, too, but very passive and slow. They are just fine for a household generating only a few pounds of vegetable scraps per week. Seems that everyone should be in agreement that those work quite well even if it stops one banana skin from being buried in a landfill. After all, they require no more intelligence than to know where they are and only the physical effort of walking to it and lifting the cover. Tumblers are for all the rest of us willing to use our brains for something other than sitting in front of a computer trying to find an excuse not to use their brains!

Martin

[gilberte]

Easy there big fella, time for a nap now.

[motdaugrnds]

Paquebot, I always appreciate your clear comments.

[Rita]

I don't like mine at all. It takes a lot of attention and the door placement makes it REALLY hard to get the "compost" out.