Compost tumblers - are they worth it?

[bario1]

I'm thinking of getting a compost tumbler - are they more faff than they're worth? How much stuff do you need to put in to keep it hot, and is it the same mix of stuff as you put in regular composters?

[seasprout]

Compost tumbers

I've never used one, and won't.

Where I work they had a composting demonstration site with a couple of different composters to play with.

My thoughts:
Cons....

Expensive to purchase.
Some models difficult to fill
Difficult to empty
Need to actually rotate it
Can dry out
Can stay soggy
Worms cannot access material
Takes up more space due to rotation room needed.
Looks ridiculous

Pros....
Erm.....

[bario1]

Haha thanks for the input Seasprout. Anyone got any positive thoughts?

On the cost front, it's peanuts cos it's second hand - I'm more interested in whether it'd end up sitting unused in the corner of the plot with a pile of sludge in it.

[Cadalot]

If I could get one for free I would give it a go just to see what the fuss is all about, I would imagine they work best if you have it local and turn it each time you pass it.

[bario1]

I'm at the plot at least once most days through the season, so it would get turned - not sure we generate enough scraps to feed it though - about one kitchen compost bucket a week?

[lottie dolly]

son picked one up a while ago for free,the centre shaft was rotted away,so i cut a bit of tent pole to fit,and hey presto,I agree with S Sprout, it is rather high for little me to reach up,and hard to turn,i would not purposefully pay money for 1,but thought would just give it a try,as is supposed to be ready a lot quicker,but i have a feeling what will happen to it.

[bario1]

i have a feeling what will happen to it.

sitting unused in the corner of the plot with a pile of sludge in it?

[Small pumpkin]

bario you're a mind reader I was just about to ask that very same thing.
It's not looking good for the tumbler is it ?

Back to the drawing board. I really need to increase speed of compost production.
I've worked out how much I spend on compost each year

[poly]

I've one I've had for several years, it's been good, although it only really gets used during the main grass growing months. It's quite big and does take a lot to fill it in one go, I use it mainly to use up grass clippings, chicken bedding and shredded material and anything else available at the time of a mix goes in. I find grass clippings and autumn leaves works really well too and is one of my favourite mixes.

I find the contents heats up really quickly and reduces down rapidly, but sadly my mixes are nowhere near a finished crumbly compost that some pictures I've seen portray. But I don't leave them in too long, once the main heating is over I don't see as much benefit of keeping it in the drum and I turn it out and do another mix. I'm sure if I were more methodical about it I'd get better results, but it suits me for what I want.

[Nicos]

We were given one many moons ago.
Just couldn't get on with it. Not sure if there are a selection of models , but I found ours impossibly heavy to turn...

You won't know if you'll get on with one unless you try it for a year or so....

[Martin H]

Back to the drawing board. I really need to increase speed of compost production.
I've worked out how much I spend on compost each year

SP, garden compost and commercial compost are completely different animals, don't try and substitute one for the other.

You can save quite a lot by re-using your commercial compost. I seive the roots out and store it in old compost bags until needed, then I perk it up with some BFB and use it for potting on. Mostly I use new commercial compost only for seeds and cuttings.

Tumblers? Seen them, not convinced.

[Small pumpkin]

Thanks Martin, I'm not planning on replacing brought with home made completely. I'd just like to have a bigger quantity of ready to use, after a year of hard work collecting & turning. For things like filling very large pots ( 40lt+ And a lot of them ). Anything that reduces my annul 3 figure compost bill

To be fair the turning doesn't happen as often as maybe it should. Which is why I was thinking tumbler, give it a turn every time I walk past. Then when it was done or nearly done empty into a darlek to carry on doing its thing and until it was needed, then start again.

[Dave Rennie]

Does anyone have experience with a DIY tumbler?