How to Use a Tumbling Compost Bin Effectively
Compost is organic matter made from decomposed yard and kitchen waste, and it may be one of the greenest things you can use in your garden. Plants, fruit trees and vegetables all need vitamins and minerals to grow and bear their flowers and fruit. Although fertilizers and artificial amendments provide some of these nutrients, organic compost also returns nutrition to the soil and nurtures the entire garden. Composting at home requires time and maintenance, which gardeners often overlook. Tumbling compost bins take some of the work out of the equation. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Fill your tumbling compost bin with organic kitchen and garden scraps: vegetables, fruit, eggshells, coffee grounds, bread, garden soil, leaves, grass clippings, spent foliage, weeds, bark and shredded paper. Most organic material breaks down naturally and can be part of a compost pile.
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Water the pile until it's moist but not soggy. Composting -- and the organisms that make it possible -- require moisture during the entire process. Keep your compost pile consistently moist by watering it every time you add new scraps. If you're not adding scraps consistently, water the pile at least once a week. If you overwater and your compost get soggy, add dry soil to soak up the moisture.
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Turn your tumbling compost bin at least once a day. Compost piles require aeration, which usually means turning by hand. A tumbler makes this easier and may help you compost more quickly. Turn the composter three, four or five times a day to help the compost break down even more effectively.
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Keep your compost pile efficient by balancing your scraps. Add an even mixture of green items like veggies and plants and brown items, such as paper, wood, straw, cardboard and coffee grounds. This balances your moisture content and leads to richer, more complete compost for your plants.
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Use compost when it attains an even consistency and looks and smells like soil. This may take anywhere from two weeks to three months, depending on your efficiency, your materials and how often you turn your compost bin.
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