Compost Tumblers

I'd like to start composting but have concerns about the temperature issues. I live in the Midwest with LOW winter temps, and also the only place I have to put a compost bin in my yard is in full shade. Will this affect my results? I don't really care how long it takes to mature into compost.

I bought a Compost Tumbler, the original big one, for about $400. After a few years the galvanized sides started to rot out. I called to ask about new sides. They cost the company maybe 30 bucks, tops. Replacing them costs $275.00.

Make something yourself, even chicken wire held up with metal posts, leave the front side open. Works great, no worries, ten bucks.

The notation about the gnats is helpful - I'm glad to know that my cloud of gnats is normal. I have to agree with Dennis - it is possible to speed up composting if done properly. I own a Compact ComposTumbler from http://www.compostumbler.com. It's a smaller version of the model reviewed in this article. As Dennis mentioned, to make compost in about 2 weeks, I have to chop my food scraps into small pieces and shred my leaves. I also make sure that I have the right proportion of "green" to "brown" material and turn the tumbler daily, checking the temp and adjusting the moisture as needed. The tumbler makes turning the compost very easy, but it is a process that requires some time and effort and I don't have to wait all summer for my compost!

It saddens me that I'm no longer living the Mother Earth life. Have somehow put myself in a new subdivision with a tiny yard surrounded by a privacy fence (an abomination, a blight on our society). But the wife loves it, so I guess I'm happy.

Found this site looking for a composter that would work in our small yard. The review started well, but never seemed to finish with a detailed comparison of composters.

For you Mother Earthers still enjoying living closer to the land, may I offer my own site on composting, with the wish I could still be with you: http://www.stevenkohn.net/compost/

Has anyone tried the Jora composter. It is metal vs plastic and seems like it will last longer.

Thanks!

I made a cheap and effective composter with a 50 gallon plastic barrel that comes with a lid and ring to seal it. I bought a barrel from a local vinegar factory for $2 and made 2 inch burr holes all around it. I put the compost in it, seal it up and just roll it over every few days. I haven't really had problems with the compost falling out of the holes and if a little of it does I just scoop it up and put it around the plants in my garden. You need to make sure it doesn't get more than 3/4 full or the compost won't tumble well.

I have a compost Tumbler for two years and have not been happy with the performance in the sense that it takes so long to decompose and also the messiness of the whole project.
I tend to disagree with the author/s that composting cannot be expediated. The compost needs Oxygen(air), water, temperature (steady at 95-100degrees F) and most importantly---Small particle size (make sure that all the stuff you put into the compost is as fine as you can possibly make it, without going overboard).
If these factors are taken care of, alongwith periodic tumbling, the compost pile should be ready in less time than the manufacturers claim.
Also, adding a compost starter, though not essential, would help because it contains the microbes which breakdown the "vegetation" into compost. It doesn't necessarily have to be the package that they are trying to sell you----- just some moist earth or some previously composted material will do.
Another factor that can greatly expediate the process is controlling the pH (acidity or basicity) of the mix.
I'm working on collecting the "tea" on a regular basis.
All input is welcome.
Dennis Balgi

I have the Urban Compost tumbler and hate it. To start with it is very hard to turn if it is over 1/4 full. After about 6 mo the lid got harder and harder to put on. The aerating tubes that run through it make it very hard to get the compost out and it is not high enough to just dump. I just ordered a different style. I will never own a compost tumbler like the urban compost tumbler again.

Hi all

I use the urban compost tumbler as well. I bought it from http://www.organic-composter.com . Different from the other sites that are listed but probably the same product. I have had little success with compost piles previously and always felt that compost bins were just a pile with a plastic box on top. My wife bought the urban compost tumbler last year and it worked just as advertised.

I have built my own compost tumbler with a center aeration tube. It makes compost in aroung two-three wks if I tumble it every day. The first worked so well, I built another so I could scarf materials from my neighbors who don't garden. Adding cow manure tea helps if it gets dry. I tried the horizontal barrel type and didn't like it, so I went to the screw-on lid plastic barrel vertical tumble style and I love it.

well I found a number of composters, but especialy one that looks great: the autoflow compost tumblers. I am going to purchase one right now from Eartheasy.com with a 10% off coupon, EARTH, so wish me luck! I think this is the url: http://eartheasy.com/shop/composting.htm

ok, I was just getting into the review on tumbler composters,
when it repeated the top section of the review and never actually
finished the review! is there a completed version of the review
out? thank you sandy

I have the urban compost Tumbler and will say that it is easy to
turn compost it didnt work as fast as advertised and unloading is
not easy.

I got my Urban Compost Tumbler here:
http://www.organic-compost-tumbler.com Not the website you listed,
but its the same product. It works really good. In summer when
heated up it literally can steam. To empty I use a snow sled to
catch it all.