A Compost Tumbler Takes The Work Out Of Compost MakingA compost tumbler, or rotating compost barrel, is a wonderful and fast way to turn your trash into treasure - and much faster than a stagnant compost bin ! In fact, it's nearly four to ten times faster than the traditional way. Things have really changed over the past century! Your compost will be ready to use within the season, and sometimes can work as quickly as one month. But why is a compost tumbler so superior to a compost bin, and what exactly is a tumbler, you ask? Well, if you must know, a compost tumbler is a barrel set on a rotating axis that is designed to spin with the simple turn of a handle. Its enclosed design more quickly and evenly mixes nitrogen and carbon materials, which is key in the chemical breakdown of the scraps inside, which we know as decomposition. Decomposition occurs when a catalyst, in this case, the combined nitrogen and carbon - which derive from an even mixture of brown and green leaves or matter - causes molecules to break down. The elements contained within the compost barrel balance together and heat up, causing a chemical reaction that starts to rot the compost. A tumbler also helps to retain moisture inside of the compost barrel, and has air holes to ensure maximum aeration. By being able to "tumble" your compost maker, air pockets are created, which help to speed up the process. With a traditional compost bin, you would have to turn your compost multiple times a week in order to filter air throughout, and that can be backbreaking – especially if you are only 11 ˝ inches tall . A tumbler means no more of that backbreaking work; simply tumble your compost effortlessly a few times each week and see results sooner. A Simple Compost Barrel DesignYou can also build a compost barrel or tumbler, which turns and allows air pockets to form, making your scraps decompose at a faster tolerate build one, all you need is a 32 gallon barrel with lid, 48 inches of PVC or iron pipe, and wood to build a 2x4' sawhorse to act as the barrel's frame. All these items can be scooped up from your local hardware store.To further make matters easier on yourself, try to pick a black or dark colored barrel for your tumbler as it will attract heat, and heat is an important element in expediting the decomposition process. A discarded steel drum is ideal, if you can find one. 
First, put together your basic wooden sawhorse base, then nail 2x4's into two separate X shapes, and secure the shapes at the bottom of each leg of the frame for support. Make two-inch holes on opposite ends of the center of the barrel using a drill, and place your PVC pipe through the holes. And don't forget to make sure smaller, half-inch holes throughout the barrel as well to help air circulate within your compost maker. If you are very clever, you can cut a door into the side of the barrel, reconnecting it with hinges and a catch. Otherwise, just take the barrel off the sawhorse frame, slide out the pipe and remove the barrel top for access to your compost. If you're worried about the top of the barrel coming off when you rotate it in the sawhorse frame, use a bungee cord to secure it in place. Set the PVC pipe in the sawhorse, and use it to spin your barrel. Turn your tumbler often, and in one season, you should have some great compost fast. However, you’ll want to invest in a compost thermometer to make sure you haven’t raised the heat a bit too high, which can kill off essential elements needed for successful compost. Though compost tumblers are a bit more extravagant to build and cost a little more, the rate in which they produce compost is no match for the competition. If you have a garden, adding rich soil by composting is definitely the easy, foolproof way to go, and a tumbler is the perfect investment for all of those years of homegrown veggies to come. Why else would I be giving you all this wonderful advice? I'd love a garden that lasts a gnome's lifetime! Happy gardening, Geefrank Return from compost tumbler to the Compost Page Return to the Vegetable Gardening HOME PAGE
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