Tumbler composter
A compost tumbler is a fully sealed container which can be rotated to mix the composting materials. The sealed container also helps contain the heat generated by the composting process, thereby speeding the process of converting kitchen and yard waste into compost. Compost tumblers were invented to make composting simpler and faster.Compost tumblers are not the same as compost bins. Compost bins are designed to be set on the ground, and most compost bins have open bottoms. While compost bins are the least expensive kind of composter, they have several disadvantages: it is difficult to get a pitchfork inside to turn the compost, heat is easily dissipated which slows the composting process, and rodents can easily burrow under the sides to gain access to the composting materials.
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| homemade compost tumbler |
Limitations and benefits of compost tumblers
Limitations:
• over 9.5 cu ft capacity units can be hard to turn - most tumbler-style composters are designed for capacities of 9.5 cubic feet or less. This is because a bigger drum is harder to spin when it's full. Larger capacity spinning composters are available, however, which utilize a mechanical aid for turning the drum. The AutoFlow 400, for example, uses a rod and gear system to turn a drum with a large 15 cu ft capacity.• more expensive than compost bins - tumbler-style composters are usually built of thicker materials to hold wet, heavy composting materials. This is not an issue with bin-style composters because the bins are open-bottomed and do not need to support any weight. Tumbler-style composters also have support legs or bases with rollers which make them more expensive to manufacture.
Benefits:
• tidy, attractive, suitable for urban and suburban residential properties
• keeps rodents, raccoons, pets out of compost
• eliminates composting odors
• speeds up the composting process - you can convert waste to finished compost in as little as 3 weeks in a sealed compost tumbler, under ideal conditions. Outdoor temperature, time of year, and the correct balance of carbon and nitrogen matter are factors which influence the speed of composting. In colder, wet climates,, it will take considerably longer than 3 weeks to complete the composting process.
• keeps rodents, raccoons, pets out of compost
• eliminates composting odors
• speeds up the composting process - you can convert waste to finished compost in as little as 3 weeks in a sealed compost tumbler, under ideal conditions. Outdoor temperature, time of year, and the correct balance of carbon and nitrogen matter are factors which influence the speed of composting. In colder, wet climates,, it will take considerably longer than 3 weeks to complete the composting process.