A compost tumbler is a container that is fully sealed and can be used in mixing up compost materials. It actually speeds up this process because t contains the heat that is generated by the waste inside of it. Their invention was simply to make the composting process faster as well as simpler. They are however not the equivalent of compost bins. Compost tumblers are actually better because of the fact that they eliminate composting odors that will be caused by the waste inside, they keep rodents out of the waste so that the process is unhindered by any factor, they are attractive and tidy thereby can be used on any urban residential property and the fact that they speed up the process of composting is why they are the best. Belo are the different types of compost tumblers.
Sealed Drum Compost Tumblers
This type of compost tumbler involves a really simple design and has a lot of fewer parts. It is basically a drum that is placed on an axle that is raised mainly for spinning purposes or even set on a base that has rollers that can accommodate spinning. It must also feature a rotating mechanism that will flip the contents inside as the rotating drum turns. It is actually quite ingenious because you can roll the drum to wherever it is that you want to empty the contents making the work way lot easier and no mess done at all.
Aerated Drum Compost Tumblers
These are actually designed for the sole benefit of delivering air to the composting materials directly. This advantage is really worth it because of the fact that the process is speeded up considerably and you can cycle as much compost as you want. It actually does make the process simpler and efficient because it goes through the process a lot faster. It can either draw air from below or inward that provides central aeration. As the drum is rotated, the materials are broken down by the core that also serves the same purpose as a paddle.
Dual-Bin Compost Tumblers
It takes the whole concept of continuous-use composter to a whole new level. A single rotating drum houses two bin although each bin is a little smaller than other composters. They are thickly insulated which means that the heat inside is conserved and hence the decaying process is speeded up considerably. They also have screened openings that are on the sides which provide the required aeration for each of the compartments. The fact that the chambers have different doors so that you can rotate it on a wheelbarrow or something similar to the point where you want to empty the contents which makes the whole process a way lot easier and less messier.
These three types of compost tumblers are the ones that are available on the market and the third one is the most efficient one. This is because it features both the previous two designs and incorporates them into one. There are models under these types that are available for sale.
Compost Tumbler Operation
There is really not much complexity that goes into the operation of a compost tumbler. This is a mechanism that has been in operation for thousands of years and it is just with the development of technology that has taken it to a whole new level that is just amazing. There is not much that you need to know about them but below you will see how they work.
You first load a compost tumbler with green and brown waste and that is from your kitchen or yard. When you have filled them with this waste, there is no other thing left to do but to let them work by themselves. The next thing that you need to do is turn the compost pile. When you mix the organic materials as well as the organisms in it, this keeps the process going on in what is described as full steam with enough oxygen circulation. A compost tumbler does this process way better than the old ditch and fork turning method that has been used for a very long time throughout history. When you turn the tumbler, the organic contents are mixed with the organisms and the oxygen and what is made inside is just pure gold as far as the enrichment of your soil is concerned. After a matter of weeks the mixture is ready to be emptied into your garden by the same method that you inserted it into the tumbler.
Remember that it is really important that your compost gets enough air through a process that is known as venting. The more air that is exposed to your compost, the faster the process will be and you will have your compost ready in no matter of time. Enough air allows for good aeration and if there is not then you have an anaerobic process that leaves behind a really messy as well as smelly product but it is still useful so you need not worry much because it is just the amount of time that you will worry about. So, always choose compost tumblers that are well vented when you are shopping for one.
At some point, it is time to stop loading materials into your tumbler and just turn. It is not easy to do this as you load the material, the more they become less in it and you feel like it is not enough, but you need to stop it at some point and let the process to go on unhindered. Adding more content sets the material a little back a bit and therefore you need to start turning so that the process can go on. How you also turn the compost has a lot of effect as far as the outcome of the compost is concerned. You shouldn’t just turn it once and consider that the job has been done but you need to turn as well as sake it severally in order to make the process fruitful. If you follow the above procedures then you will have excellent compost in a month or so ready for your garden.