Garden Composting On The Move
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| How They Work | How To Use Them | Drums Reviewed | Tumblers Reviewed |
Claims for drum/ tumbler compost bins range from 'it doesn't work at all' (see below) to 'compost made in 14 days'. Both may be right the difference - depends on how you use them.
So if you've never done composting before or only have small amounts of soggy kitchen waste then consider using a worm bin detailed on this link.
But if you're used to turning heaps but can't manage the effort anymore - then definitely consider one of the larger drums or a compost tumblers mentioned below.COMPOST
TUMBLERS / COMPOST DRUMS
- How They Work - How To Use Them -
Basically compost tumblers / drums make turning, aerating and mixing the heap easy to do. This speeds decomposition. They are particularly well-used for composting batches of green matter and kitchen waste, but less valuable when adding woody or tough fibre which always takes longer. Tough stuff from your garden is best included after shredding.
Note: they can also be used to mix potting composts: from sand, peat and loam; or leaf mold, garden compost, soil etc...
RICHER COMPOST
As soft green matter decomposes faster in compost tumblers it leaves
behind an increasing amount of decay resistant fibres from garden
waste. More greens can then be added, while taking care it doesn’t
become soggy. The compost will be richer.
You can take full advantage with a composter designed to collect the liquid draining out. Otherwise I recommend you add some dry soil to absorb the nutrient rich liquid.
KEEP IN BALANCE
You always need to balance greens with some high carbon brown stuff.
Have paper, straw, used pet bedding (but no turds), shredded
cardboard... handy to balance greens and help absorb excess moisture.
Moulded bins with little ventilation produce internal condensation.
Note: cooked kitchen waste on its own will just sit there and do nothing unless you follow proper guidelines and instructions included with the compost bin. For example...
Compost
activator is recommended especially for compost drums and tumblers.
They
contain micro-organisms, nutrients, and enzymes, to get composting
started.
In America
you can choose from a range
of compost activators on
this link.
For U.K. gardeners - Biotal have created
several compost activators
for leaves, grass cuttings, and general garden waste click
this link to try it.
To get a job done quick, leave out tough stuff from the garden. Some gardeners add worms to a mix, but please not until compost is cooling down. Better still - tip the stuff out to finish off in a static compost bin.
TWO MAIN TYPES OF ROTATING COMPOST BINS EXPLAINED BELOW.
COMPOST DRUMS REVIEWED
Most of these have a relatively large airspace above the compost. Some gardeners with larger compost drums report that the contents readily dry out. My advice: don't overdo turning the handle. You only need about 1 or 2 revolutions every few days. For large composters drop in a plastic cover sheet between turns to reduce moisture loss.Some drum composters are mobile, others have stands that permit emptying straight into a bucket or barrow.
The illustration-right
attempts to compare relative sizes of 1 - 3 below.
1 - The Back Porch Compost Tumbler
150 Litres Suited to kitchen waste and small gardens. Compost
vegetable parings, cooked veg, coffee grinds... plus, dead flowers,
rotten fruit, soft prunings leaves...
Heat loss due to small size is reduced by
insulated wall which reputedly keeps it going into colder months. Easy
to turn
without a handle. My kitchen waste is soggy - see keep
in balance above.
Cost
these Compost Drums in U.S.A.
Can be wheeled like a barrow - large door makes dumping easy. Steady door on handle when loading.
2 - The Compact Compost Tumbler
340 Litres For a small garden, small-lawn cuttings and
kitchen waste. Simply turn the handle to rotate the drum. It is emptied
easily, straight into a bucket.
3 - The Original Compost Tumbler
650 Litres Most gardeners run short of garden compost
appropriately known as 'black gold'. Even more lawn cuttings, weeds
etc... get into this one. You won't be sorry you made bigger batches.
Especially useful when you have a lot of growth to cut back at certain times. Use an excess of soft greens and some shredded browns. Drum is 27" above ground and empties straight into a barrow. Site in a sheltered spot.
Take care to keep small children away from your compost drum - the handle and drum could be misused and exposed cogs are a risk to little fingers. (see covers)
I’ve seen good feedback on customer service for
the above. While the drum comes in the box – you need to put the ends
on.
Get
more details on Compost Drums available in America here.
U.K.
gardeners can get hold of the compost drums on this link
  Check out the Mantis ComposT Twin 4000 - U.S.A. |
20 bushel capacity = 705L For a gardener with a real garden. Many happy customers own one of these.
The Mantis Twin composter comes with its drum as flat metal sheets for self-assembly onto the ends (a 2 person job). A 20 bushel capacity for the Mantis Twin converts to 705 L for comparison.
The Envirocycle Drum Composter
around 170L
Here's a compost drum to concentrate your green waste into nutritious liquid fertilizer. It readily drains through 2 slits to collect in the base.
Kitchen waste as well as annual weeds, dead plants, light prunings, 2 buckets of grass cuttings, plus brown leaves and paper should go well for starters. Add powdered compost activator, and comfrey leaves and nettles will help too. Also add a few trowel fulls of spent compost or good soil.
The drum doesn't have internal paddles - too many grass cuttings and too frequent turning produces grassy balls.
Keep hold of the small drainage hole caps in base for when you want to empty it through the spout. Position drum on base before filling.
A highly versatile compost drum you can roll down the garden to fill or empty.
Evirocycle compost tumbler / drum available in the U.K. from here
Please take a look at the Sun Mar Tumbler. It goes one stage further by pushing fine finished compost out of the drum. Check below
COMPOST TUMBLER BINS REVIEWED
Would you agree that compost heaps are not normally the sort thing you move around your garden. Good, because compost tumbler bins are mounted on frames and few permit mobility.But if you want to turn your grass cuttings into compost quickly then the tumbleweed is perhaps the one to go for. The Tumbleweed has a bar across the centre of the bin that breaks up thatch of grass cuttings as they are tossed over. It also has an opening lid at both ends. Tumbleweed Composter on this link - America
.
The
next compost tumbler I've illustrated for U.K.
gardeners, clearly shows the grips
on the side to help you turn the tumbler. You only need 1 or 2 turns
every 5 days or so. Let the heap heat up in between time. The
Compost Making Tumbler - U.K. (even more compost equipment on this
link)
ACCESSORIES
For U.K. gardeners - Biotal have created
several compost activators
for leaves, grass cuttings, and general garden waste click
this link to try it.
A water-proof vinyl cover accessory is available for protection when the Mantis 4000 is not in use, although it does not cover the handle.
A compost sifter screen is available to replace the door of the Mantis 4000. This allows finer compost to be harvested for potting or seed sowing. The remaining course debris can be either left longer to decompose, harvested seperately for mulch, or taken out and recycled in the adjacent drum.
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The main drum has an inner drum. As they revolve the heavy stuff remains on the outside. The finer composted material flows into the inner drum from were it passes out for collection. The Drum Composter comes in different sizes and ... |
| ...it can be bought in: available in the U.K. on this link. Easy to assemble - just a few moulded parts snap together. Use for organic garden and kitchen waste. |
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Did you get here by my page link? - I hope you didn't miss the Compost Tumblers above stop press - they work differently to drums.
BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN - more information and links
