Drum type composter

In this part of the country, the heat and the dryness creates special requirements for composters. For example, a wire fence would never work. I picked up a nice composter made of plastic that works well. However, I really need a second bin to finish a load while collecting stuff for the next one. I am considering getting one of those drum types that you spin to turn over the pile. I am wondering if anyone has used this type and how you like them?

Hey, Gray!

Waited 10 years to buy a ComposTumbler...wayyy to long to wait. Got it last year and it got me gardening again! You can control the moisture much better and it is easier than using the pitchfork to turn the pile on the ground. It always seemed like too much money to spend...but look how much the bags of potting soil cost. After a friend saw mine this winter he went home (now in NC) and he called recently to report he had his first batch in the Tumbler! It has helped me tremendously!

I bought the Mantis compost twin in Fall 2004. I am currently working on my first two batches of compost. Didn't really get to try it out after I got it, as two of our dogs got sick and then me in the course of 6 weeks. So far, I really like it. I am new to composting and learning as I go, but I seem to have the batches cooking. I really like the ease of turning the compost. I give it 6 full turns each day {three with each arm for a mini workout :0) }. I am learning alot from this forum and hope to have some compost soon. It wasn't bad to put together - I put it together by myself. But there was one part that an extra person would have been really helpful. Hubby helped me lift it onto the frame. You definitely need two people to do that. So far, I am happy with it. And I am already making plans for where to use the compost.

Not a bin composter but may do what you are looking for. I read in a MEN article about the partially buried trash can method. I put mine in this spring and haven't filled it yet. Has anyone else tried this method?
You can see a picture towards the bottom of this page http://www.kerrysgarden.us/?p=43 The original article is here http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1976_September_October/The_Underground_Composter

This message was edited Jun 29, 2005 6:39 PM

Kerry,

Thanks for posting those links. This is something I may try, if I can get my husband to help me.

This may be a stupid question, but I wonder if any metals would leach into the compost? I mean, don't those metal trash cans rust over time?

Angie

Angie,

The can is galvanized if that means anything. I don't know if it would be an issue or not. Since the compost is only there for a couple of months and there isn't a lot of water into the system I would think it would be ok but I could be way off base about that. I didn't make mine bottomless but did put chuncks of broken cinderblock under the can and punched some holes in the bottom for drainage. I will probably throw some red worms in the mix to speed things up once it is filled and has settled a bit.

Well,

I finally, after years of looking, pryed money out of my clutching hands and bought the Mantis Twin composter. I emptied my standing bin of compost into it to finish the decompostion. I also filled the other bin with brown stuff and am waiting some greens to fire it up.

My first observation is that it is much easier to keep the whole lot of compost evenly moist. Turning the pile is so easy compared to the pitchfork method it is ridiculous. It is not a hot pile anymore since the really hot decomposition occured a while ago, but in the sun the pile is heating nicely. Which, I am sure will speed the process. I'll tell more as I find out more.

Thank you Kerry. I sent hubby an email and he agreed it looks like a good solution to the compost problem, provided we are able to dig a hole that deep on our property. (We live on a very rocky mountain.)

I just started building my first compost pile yesterday and I am concerned about critters getting into it. We live out in the sticks and have about every kind of critter you can think of!

Angie

Putting the old compost in the Mantis twin really worked well. The volume reduced about 50% in the one week I had it in there. I bought their screen for sifting the compost. The texture is still quite moist and only a little comes through the screen when I turn the barrel. Perhaps as it dries it will come throught the screen faster. As it is, I would get exausted turning the crank if that was the only reason to do it.

I got some fresh grass clippings and added them to the brown stuff in the other side. So I have a reason to turn it other than sifting. Quickly, I had decompostion tempuratures of 140 to 155 degrees. I am confident that seeds are now killed. Much of the brown stuff I composted was shredded wildflowers with a lot of seeds. After a day of composting it had a very strong ammonia smell. My poor neighbor! Perhaps I added too much grass clippings. The smell seems to be getting better today so I will not add any brown stuff to it.




This message was edited May 23, 2005 9:56 AM

I had a large composter that I used every day and loved it but a move forced me to leave it behing...My husband recently gave me the Mantis double barrel composter and I am so excited...the drum composters make fabulous compost and it is easy to learn the mechanics. I had several rabbits at the time so my compost was always full of rabbit poop...I don't have rabbits at the moment but I do have a neighbor with a calf...I am so excited...I am loading my first barrel full. I have one large wire compost bin and it is full to the top and full of potato vines...

Hey Gray,
I bought the large ComposTumbler about 3 years ago and have never regretted it. Turns all my yard clippings and chicken manure to perfect potting soil in 2 to 3 weeks. The key is to keep it slightly moist, turn it every few days and use the correct receipe of green to brown (dead leaves) ratio. If you run over your yard clippings several times with the lawn mower to grind them up into smaller particles, it will decompose faster. It was money well spent. Good luck to ya.

What iis the correct ratio, green and brown. I started mine two weeks ago today and was wondering if will be ready today.

I'm a beginner gardener and brand new to composting. I've found the instructions to build/make a compost bin out of a 32 gal. trash barrel (http://wiki.ehow.com/Build-a-Compost-Maker). I've also seen the "Tumbler" for $130. I can't really to pay that much right now. Should I try making one myself?