Best (easiest) compost maker?

Hi, I am new here. My Mom-in-law purchased a compost pile container last year for "us" to use (she lives next door to me) It just the kind that is a big green container that is open on the bottom and you have to turn it manually with a sort of tool that the company also sold, which you have to twist all of the way to the bottom of the compost pile and then pull it up. Of course, "us" does not do any of the turning of the compost, I have to do it all!!! Well, now my wrist has started giving me trouble again after many years and I think it is from the turning of the compost which really gives you a workout on your arms. So, I was looking at a compost maker that lays on it side and you turn it by stepping on the side of it and it turns. Has anyone used it and is it worth the price? Does anyone know of any other kind that would be a little easier to turn? Thanks for the info.

Welcome to Dave's Garden. Personally I prefer cold composting. That means I just dump everything in an enclosed area(enclosed by wood pallets, ring of wire, that thing you already have, etc. and just let it do what it willl do. It takes longer but works as well. As for the rotating barrel, tub, etc. I've never used one to any extent, but have rolled a plastic trash can with venilation holes in it around for a few weeks. Not really that pleased with the results. I've also just put the compostable stuff in a large heavy weight trash bag, moistened it somewhat and shook it every day or two. You can add to it daily if you wish, or do one nearly full all at once. It just needs to be moist, not wet, to decay quickly. However, if you get it TOO wet, drain off the juice and use that as fertilizer. Then add some dry material to the bag and start again.
I'm sure you are right about the pain in your wrist being caused by the stirring of the compost.Do you wear a wrist support of any kind? That is a MUST.
GOD bless.

Coincidentally, I'm research compost tumblers for Mother Earth News.

In general, they are easy to use, but not any faster than what you are using. They come in three categories, sort of:

Drum rollers. These would be the ones like the Mantis, that looks like one (or two, on the twin) drums laid on their sides on a frame. You turn them with a crank. Not hard at all.

Ground rollers. These tend to be smaller, and sit horizontally on a base. You turn them with your feet. Some have rollers built into the base, and some don't. The ones that don't, obviously, are harder to turn. A variation of these are ones that have no base. You just roll the drum around in the yard.

Twisters. These resemble small cement mixers. The drum is on a frame, with a central shaft. You rotate by flipping the drum around this shaft.

Personally, I'm like leaflady. I make compost the way God does; by just piling up the stuff as it accumulates and letting it rot. Takes about a year, so I use twin bins so as to always have a supply.

Lately I've also gotten into sheet composting, whereby you use the materials as mulch, layering them right on the soil and letting them rot down as they will.

I'm agree with leaflady, I have always used the cold compost method. We have a couple of bins and a rabbit and his stuff gets added every couple of days to the top of whatever bin we are using at the time and we get fresh compost 2-3 times a year. I have learned not to put tomato seeds in the compost here because one spring when I spred the compost I had 200-300 tomatoes coming up everywhere.

Someone did give me a ground roller composter once, but I found I didn't have enough space to move it very well.

you could rake up all of your fall leaves, put them in black plastic bags, wet them down, tie them shut and leave them until next spring. you should have some nice black gold then. i put my kitchen scraps(potato peels,apple cores, etc.) in a blender with any water left from boiling or steaming vegetables and blend until liquid and pour it on the garden. yum!!!

mine is a big square made from cement blocks just stacked up. i just throw all the plant/kitchen waste/weeds onto it and forget apout it for a few years then when it is full i put a layer of dirt on it and start a new one the4n the next year sift out the first one and mix it in my potting soil

I was reading all the info on different compost ways.
I cold compost along with a form of Ruth Stout mulch system,BUT as soon as that planting is over it goes to strip compost every thing is tilled in and we start over in the garden.
A lot of aeras do not have a recycle center for yard waste ect. but if you do you can get mulch and compost material by the pick up load.In the rapid groth time of the year I haul 3 or 4 pick up loads a week.
Check out your local aera and see what is avaliable.
Happy gardening.

We use the old cement blocks and letting it sit too..I might turn two times a year, if that compost pile is lucky. I too have large bins..one I am using and one I am building. My husband thinks I am nuts to have always had a compost pile. We have two wonderful rabbits that contribute...drives my dogs dizzy when they are out in their gardens running. Especially our new one, lady, a tiny basset hound. She came from a Breeder Bust in a city near us. Lucky for us it was 2 days before Christmas when they shut down the Breeder and Sadie needed a home along with 44 other dogs...right away so she was Free.

We only have seven dogs! 6 cats, opps 7, and cat sitting my daughters Spooky cat, 2 rabbits and one grandchild in residence.

This message was edited Wednesday, Mar 12th 11:18 AM

My article on compost tumblers is in the new Mother Earth News if you want to compare and contrast them.