Wisconsin here Yeah I use blue barrel and kick around yard. Will build rollers in future. But also have a tumbler with rollers. Only 4 wheels. Personally not enough. So when I make my own for the blue ones. I am adding in more wheels. BTW I also 3D print the wheels and it is popular free download on thingiverse. YES ALWAYS BREAK DOWN MATERIAL AS BEST AS YOU CAN! I see a lot of big stuff there in yours. HARVESTING compost always sucks. Breaking down "balls" then air dry over a tarp. With Winter though its TOUGH! GOOD LUCK
I have three of that exact tumbler. I do rotate one to the next etc…. It’s a great tumbler as tumblers go. I live in 9b Louisiana with mild winters and still composting slows down during winter. I even try adding buckets of alfalfa pellets, coffee grounds to kick start and sometimes it fires them up and sometimes not so much. There are a couple things I will recommend. Firstly you should reconsider particle size, I shred cardboard, leaves and I cut up garden and kitchen waste in smaller pieces. It will help the tumbler especially during winter. I also load it over half full with a carbon source (finely shredded) to start and add scraps over time until it’s full, even if it went cold over the winter it will heat up in the spring. The tumbler is an 80 gallon but even though it’s one of the largest capacity tumblers available it’s still not enough mass to hold heat during the coldest part of winter not to mention its elevated. By no means am I trying to discourage you, just sharing my experience with these tumblers. It could take some time to get dialed in.
Thank you so much for sharing, I really appreciate it. The best advice comes from experience. I do think I should make the particles smaller. At first I was throwing in whole fruits/veg and it was really hard to tumble (or loud at least). I keep trying to smell it and add more carbon to keep it chugging along. I also need to move it to a sunnier place but I didn’t think about that until I filled it- lesson learned.
Watching from Colorado, so winters are pretty harsh. Let's say compost is finished early...before spring planting. How do you store it? Plastic bins with lids?
If it finishes early, and it is too full to add small additions, I would add it to the garden beds, especially one I plan to use sooner- or sprinkle it over something I already have in the ground- like garlic. When you dump it, make sure and retain some for the next batch so it can get a head start with the right microbes.
In PNW myself in Lake County Ca.... this is my first year composting and using a tumbler....Can't tell you how happy I am to come across your channel 🤎🌱🤎
Ty for this video! I was relieved to hear your comment about garlic planting. I just recently got mine in the ground (two weeks ago) and thought I was way too late here in Puyallup. I hope the tumbler works out for your composting because I wanted to try it too. ❤
Thank you and thank you for watching. As our winters get colder, I like planting even later to avoid some freezing damage. I plant later than most people I know and I always still have huge garlics. I still have a good amount of garlic to get into the ground. 🤣
Our first year, using a tumbler also. Great info thanks! I’m in Yakima, Wa. Won’t get real cold for too long, hopefully. In Idaho, most big gardeners use cans, just roll around on ground, must work many do it.
What does this have to do with WINTER composting. This is just generic info on composting and the use of a tumbler. Winter composting is a different ball game and you didn’t mention anything about that.
Wisconsin here
Yeah I use blue barrel and kick around yard.
Will build rollers in future. But also have a tumbler with rollers.
Only 4 wheels. Personally not enough. So when I make my own for the blue ones. I am adding in more wheels.
BTW I also 3D print the wheels and it is popular free download on thingiverse.
YES ALWAYS BREAK DOWN MATERIAL AS BEST AS YOU CAN! I see a lot of big stuff there in yours.
HARVESTING compost always sucks. Breaking down "balls" then air dry over a tarp. With Winter though its TOUGH!
GOOD LUCK
What brand of composter is that?
The brand is lifetime. They last pretty well because they were well loved by a neighbor before I received them.
I have three of that exact tumbler. I do rotate one to the next etc…. It’s a great tumbler as tumblers go. I live in 9b Louisiana with mild winters and still composting slows down during winter. I even try adding buckets of alfalfa pellets, coffee grounds to kick start and sometimes it fires them up and sometimes not so much. There are a couple things I will recommend. Firstly you should reconsider particle size, I shred cardboard, leaves and I cut up garden and kitchen waste in smaller pieces. It will help the tumbler especially during winter. I also load it over half full with a carbon source (finely shredded) to start and add scraps over time until it’s full, even if it went cold over the winter it will heat up in the spring. The tumbler is an 80 gallon but even though it’s one of the largest capacity tumblers available it’s still not enough mass to hold heat during the coldest part of winter not to mention its elevated. By no means am I trying to discourage you, just sharing my experience with these tumblers. It could take some time to get dialed in.
Thank you so much for sharing, I really appreciate it. The best advice comes from experience. I do think I should make the particles smaller. At first I was throwing in whole fruits/veg and it was really hard to tumble (or loud at least). I keep trying to smell it and add more carbon to keep it chugging along. I also need to move it to a sunnier place but I didn’t think about that until I filled it- lesson learned.
Watching from Colorado, so winters are pretty harsh. Let's say compost is finished early...before spring planting. How do you store it? Plastic bins with lids?
If it finishes early, and it is too full to add small additions, I would add it to the garden beds, especially one I plan to use sooner- or sprinkle it over something I already have in the ground- like garlic. When you dump it, make sure and retain some for the next batch so it can get a head start with the right microbes.
In PNW myself in Lake County Ca.... this is my first year composting and using a tumbler....Can't tell you how happy I am to come across your channel 🤎🌱🤎
Yay for compost tumblers- they make it so much easier than manually turning everything over with a shovel. Thank you for watching.
Ty for this video! I was relieved to hear your comment about garlic planting. I just recently got mine in the ground (two weeks ago) and thought I was way too late here in Puyallup. I hope the tumbler works out for your composting because I wanted to try it too. ❤
Thank you and thank you for watching. As our winters get colder, I like planting even later to avoid some freezing damage. I plant later than most people I know and I always still have huge garlics. I still have a good amount of garlic to get into the ground. 🤣
Our first year, using a tumbler also. Great info thanks! I’m in Yakima, Wa. Won’t get real cold for too long, hopefully. In Idaho, most big gardeners use cans, just roll around on ground, must work many do it.
What does this have to do with WINTER composting. This is just generic info on composting and the use of a tumbler.
Winter composting is a different ball game and you didn’t mention anything about that.
Hello from Vancouver WA :) we made our own tumbler and I will report back on how it goes this year. I love your channel!!
Yay, I am excited to see how it goes. Thank you for watching.
how did it go?