Posts Tagged ‘compost tumblers’

Composting With Red Wiggler Worms and Night Crawlers

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

Earlier we’ve talked about the differences between compost bins and compost tumblers, and let you, our wonderful composting audience, decide for yourselves on what you thought would work better for your needs. Well, let’s put our differences aside and talk about worm composting, also known in the composting world as vermiculture or vermicomposting. There’s really not much to it, we use worms, right? Right, but not just any worms; red wiggler worms or night crawlers are the preferred types of worms to use. Why not earthworms, you ask? Well, I’ll explain that in a second, but let me first tell you why red wigglers and night crawlers are so beneficial to the composting process.

Red wiggler worms, also known as red worms and by their scientific name of Eisenia fetida, are recognized as the best kind of composting worm. Thriving in darkness and swearing off light, red worms are hardy workers and can eat half of their own weight. Additionally, they have hearty appetites and can live off of food scraps such as banana peels and chicken mash (a yummy mix of cornmeal and chicken meat, this is usually used only if you plan to raise your red worms as fish bait). Red worms also live well in damp places, and as fish bait, will wiggle around on the hook since they can survive in water for several days at a time.

Night crawlers which are popular amongst fishermen can also be used as composting worms. With the same performance level as red worms, they’re not really considered your number one composting worm. One reason may be that even though they thrive in cool, shady areas, they don’t seem to fare too well if there’s too much moisture; in fact, once they hit water they’ll pretty much just die. Unusually enough, fisherman seem to like using night crawlers as bait probably because they’re pretty big and fat.

Using earthworms such as the kind that show up when it starts raining is not recommended. Earthworms are great burrowers and excellent soil aerators, but they won’t digest the organic matter and leave behind worm castings, which is what you want. Your best bet is to stick with red wiggler worms. Though not necessary, mixing red wigglers with night crawlers is okay, but you’re fine with sticking to one or the other.

Vermicomposting can be a fun activity for families, classrooms, or even just solo. Just be sure to feed your worms and watch them as they do the work for you.

Good luck!

Need some compost bins, wood chippers or even a lawn sweeper? Stop by Composters.com today!
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Start Composting Today and Reduce Landfill Waste

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

If you’re looking for another way to make a positive impact on the planet, in addition to recycling, look no further than the wonderful world of composting. In basic terms, composting is the act of breaking down organic food and yard waste into a potent soil amendment called humus. But actually, composting is a bit more. It is about providing an environment where this process occurs quicker, usually in a compost bin or compost tumbler, and with the correct ratios of certain organic matter – you can’t just go throwin’ everything in and hope for the best.

Composting really is an art. Depending on your climate and time of year, your pile may need more or less of certain things to achieve the optimum carbon to nitrogen ratio for the organic matter to properly break down. Also, composting is not a free-for-all for your food scraps and waste. There are many things that are no-no’s as far as the compost bin goes, including meat and bones, grease and oils, dairy products, fecal matter (that’s right, no poo), diseased plants and weeds. Actually, it may be better to give a list of compostable items, so here goes:

From the yard: chemical-free grass clippings, dry leaves, shrub and tree waste, sawdust and wood chips from untreated wood, straw and hay, dead plants and flowers, potting soil, dead insects.

From the kitchen: coffee grounds and filters, tea bags (no staples) and leaves, fruit and veggie scraps, corn husks, crushed eggshells, hair from brushes, cereal (oatmeal for example), bread and flour, leftover pasta without oil or dairy-based sauces, rice, all-natural fibers like cotton, shredded black and white newspaper, paper towels.

All you need to get started is a compost bin of some sort, a suitable place to put it, and some basic information that can be found in any composting guide. If you’re an apartment dweller without a yard, there are smaller indoor units that can be kept indoors or on a patio. And don’t worry if you’re not into gardening, if you produce rich, fertile humus, there will be no shortage of people vying to take it off your hands. So start composting today, its fun for the whole family and is great for the environment.

Good luck!

For a huge selection of composting and gardening supplies including compost tumblers, chipper shredders, and lawn sweepers, visit our website today.
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If you Compost It, They Will Come

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

Here’s a cheery little thought that you can meditate over: have you ever opened up your compost bin and find all sorts of little critters ambling about in there? I can tell you that I have, and from what experience and many composting teachers have taught me, most of the time that’s normal and okay. Little roomies like fruit flies, fly larvae, and even worms will show up to feast upon the yummy organic matter you have stored in your compost bin. Even though you may not have sent out an official invitation, it’s kind of funny to see these little critters going to town in your compost.

How does it happen? Well, most of the time you’ll get visitors just by opening up the lid of the bin. Fruit flies will definitely show up if you’ve got fruit rinds and vegetable stalks in your compost. If you noticed them flying out of your bin when you opened it up, don’t worry, the flies probably flew through the aerating holes of the bin. Most of the time the flies will lay eggs in your compost and they’ll hatch, which may be another reason why you keep seeing them buzzing about. If you find that there seems to be an entire colony of flies and bugs hanging about your bin, again don’t worry. This happens in the beginning stages of composting, especially if you have a slew of fruit rinds in the bin. Once everything starts to decompose, there will be less and less fruit flies hanging about.

If you keep an open bottom compost bin in the ground for easy compost tea evacuation, you may have noticed some worms wiggling about in your bin. This is absolutely fantastic since worms are a vital part in the composting process. As the worms are wiggling their way around you compost bin and back into the soil, it speeds up the process, which results in rich, black soil. For an added benefit, you should add a pound of red wiggler worms in your compost bin in the beginning just so the composting process is sped up. Once there’s nothing left for the worms to munch on, they’ll move out of your bin and burrow about in your soil.

Critters like bugs and worms aren’t always a bad thing; for composting, they’re essential! Think of it this way; as long as they’re not bothering you and helping out with the composting process, everybody wins!

Good luck!

On the lookout for a chipper shredder, lawn sweepers or even some rain barrels? Stop by Composters.com today!
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Keeping the Critters Out of your Compost

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

I’ve been composting for quite some time now, and I can honestly say that for the first few trials I was having difficulty keeping the area around my compost wildlife and insect-free. Composting is both a science and an art form, and I was foolish to think at the beginning that I could get it down on the first try. I followed all the directions, read all the web forums and even carried the 1 over to the other side, yet I was coming across the same problem: insects and animals were invading my compost! But now that I know better, let me share my experiences with you so that you don’t have to waste as much time as I did on fixing the problem.

First of all, don’t ever place any meat products, fatty foods, oils and bones in your compost bins, compost tumblers, or piles. This is a recipe for disaster since animals are generally attracted to these products and will be more than likely to dig around in your compost. Dairy products like cheese are also considered a no-no in terms of adding it to your compost. Not only do these products get smelly after a few hours, they also do not decompose well so it’s best to just avoid these items all together.

To avoid this situation, be sure to use a tight fitting lid atop your compost bin, better yet, make sure it’s rodent proof. As long as the lid is tight rodents like raccoons won’t be able to jimmy the bin open and feast upon the cut-up fruit rinds and veggie leaves. In addition, remember to turn your compost pile a couple times a week to turn up the heat in your bin so that the organic matter can decompose properly; this will also help in turning off animals from you compost.

Since you’ll be using fruit rinds, vegetable stalks and leaves along with other acceptable food wastes such as coffee grinds, you’re bound to come across the problem of flies and gnats hanging around your compost (this also applies for kitchen composting). Work around this problem by covering up your compost and by adding brown matter (no, not that) to your compost. Yard waste such as dried up leaves, hay, cut-up wood chippings and even sawdust mixed into your compost will balance the nitrogen levels and mask the fruity odors. Using some already made compost or soil will also do the trick.

Learn from my mistakes and take these tips to heart. After all, there’s nothing worse than looking our in your backyard and fining a zoo of animals nosing around in your compost bin like they’ve found the jackpot!

Good luck!

For a large selection in composting supplies like lawn sweepers and compost tumblers, be sure to stop by Composter.com.
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Compost Bins Vs. Compost Tumblers

Friday, October 9th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

When starting to compost, one must ask, which exactly is better the compost bin or the compost tumbler? Really, it all depends on who you ask and what their current lifestyle is like. For instance, does this person have the time to commit to their compost and garden? More importantly, do you? Whatever your answer will be may well dictate whether you’ll go with purchasing a compost bin or tumbler. Let’s take a few factors into considerations to help you decide: Compost bins are easy to use and are just as easy to put together with little parts or none at all. Popular compost bins like the Garden Gourmet and the Expandable Worm Tower, both which can be found on Composters.com, require little parts and take no more than 20 minutes to put together. Those who use bins find it both therapeutic and satisfying to be personally turning their compost with a pitchfork; no one ever said that a little bit of the outdoors could hurt you! For composting bins like the Expandable Worm Tower, it’s the worms that do most of the work. All you would have to do is take the finished compost that the worms have produced (known as worm castings, black gold, or even just rich soil), distribute it around the soil of your garden, fill up the trays with more organic matter and dirt and repeat! As easy and efficient that compost bins are, they can get a bit messy at times. What if you happen to have a compost bin unlike the Expandable Worm Tower or Garden Gourmet where it’s easy to evacuate the finished compost? You may have to manually dump the finished compost into a wheel barrel, where it can get a bit chaotic and messy. Unless you have no other commitments and plenty of time on your hand, compost bins may not be the way to go. A bit more expensive but perhaps worth the extra cash, compost tumblers are ideal for those who don’t have as much time but would still love to have the resulting rich soil for their garden. What’s great about having a compost tumbler is that there’s no need to manually turn the compost. The whole point of a tumbler is that you can easily rotate it via a crank or just by spinning it, therefore aerating the compost inside. The con about tumblers, however, is that they too can get messy especially if you have to roll it around the yard when the compost it not yet ready. Additionally, you may have to purchase the compost tea collector separately, depending on the model. When it comes down to it, it’s really about personal preference. I’ve mentioned repeatedly that things could get messy, but that’s the beauty of composting; you’re allowed to get down and dirty! Whatever the decision you make, be sure to take your lifestyle and commitments in consideration to ensure a successful composting experience.

Good luck!

For a large selection in composting supplies like lawn sweepers and compost tumblers, be sure to stop by Composter.com.
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Easy Composting: the Benefits of the Compost Tumbler

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

Composting is no easy task. It requires hard work, dedication, and persistence—unless, of course, you own a compost tumbler . In that case, composting requires little work, some dedication, and not much persistence at all, all while mixing compost the same way you would with a giant compost heap in the backyard. How easy is that?

Although open composting has its advantages, using a compost tumbler saves time and keeps your compost pile aerated with little effort. Instead of manually turning over your compost pile, a compost tumbler does the work for you in its internal chamber. There’s no need to turn over your compost with a pitchfork; you simply turn it—no fuss, no muss. By keeping it aerated with just a few turns every few days, you can rest assured that the microbes are actively eating and decomposing the matter. All you really need to do is carry your kitchen scraps out to your compost tumbler , throw them in, and turn.

The compost tumbler doesn’t just stop at minimizing the work time needed to compost. Some tumblers are built raised off the ground, while others maximize heat absorption, which makes your compost decompose faster. Some include dual chambers that allow mixing up compost while throwing in new scraps, thereby aerating old compost and allowing for new stuff to decompose. Then there are tumblers with screened vents to ensure even air flow. Many tumblers come with optional tea collectors that create “compost tea”, a nutritious liquid drawn from food decomposition. It sounds gross, but that’s probably because it’s not for drinking; it’s an excellent dilute fertilizer. Moreover, open compost piles can attract rodents and other creatures. Let’s just say it could get hairy. But if your compost pile is in a tumbler, it’s well protected from the animal kingdom.

Give your flower bed a breath of fresh (er, actually, not-so-fresh) “black gold”. Turn your waste into something useful. Help save the environment. Composting allows you to do all that, and the compost tumbler allows you to do so without much maintenance needed. Alleviate the stress and labor that comes with composting the old-fashioned way and get yourself a tumbler! Now, wasn’t that easy?

Good luck!

For a large selection in composting supplies like lawn sweepers and compost tumblers, be sure to stop by Composters.com.
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What are the Best Compost Materials for Your Compost Pile?

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

This is the topic of our new gardening blog poll. The choices range from: bird droppings, seaweed, horse manure and more. Please drop by and submit your vote. The poll and subsequent posts regarding composting, compost piles, compost tumblers, how to make a compost pile, starting a compost pile, how to make a compost bin, ect., will also be posted at www.mygardentips.net They say that plants in Hawaii grow unbelievably in fast and furious. Is there a connection to the volcanic material in the soil? Build your Own Compost or just Buy Compost? Should we just give in and buy our compost from the local nursery, or build it yourself? I suppose the answer lies in whether or not you have place for a compost bin. If you do, I’d recommend making it yourself. If you don’t, research your local market, in search of the perfect compost. Ask at your local farmer’s market, as you’ll have a better chance of finding affordable home-made compost. Let’s assume you do have space in your garden for composting… the next question is: Should I build it myself or buy a ready-made compost tumbler? Compost Tumbler or Compost Pile? Ready-made has its advantages, but home-built is my choice personally, despite its disadvantages. There’s just no substitute for this natural recycling experience. What are the basic steps in building your own compost pile? How does one go about starting a composting pile? What to put in your Compost Pile? Actually, the real question should be, what don’t you put in it? The answer to that is simple: Don’t put in cat or dog droppings, or any type of meat. That makes it pretty simple. Put in everything else, like grass clippings, manure, straw, leaves, fruit and vegetable refuse, coffee grounds, seaweed, even ripped up newspapers. How’s that for recycling? The basic rule is 1 part green stuff to 20 parts inorganic stuff, like the leaves or newspaper. Remember to cover your live stuff with the dead stuff, so it doesn’t stink too much, and this also aids in the aeration and decomposition. Once a week or so, mix up the compost pile so that air and dry materials gets mixed in. The easiest method is to remember to cover your mushy organic materials with enough shredded paper or dead leaves, each time you throw in your kitchen scraps. For more Spring Time Tips, visit the no-crank site or gardening tips blog.

Good luck!

Dan is a writer for Hydro Industries. To learn more vist: No-Crank.com
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Compost Tumblers – The Most Effective Method of Composting

Saturday, September 26th, 2009

Hello! I hope you enjoy the article.

There are many different methods of composting, and there are a number of products now available to those who compost. The compost bin to buy depends on the needs of the garden or home. With that said, compost tumblers provide an efficient, low maintenance, and reliable method of composting.
One of the many misconceptions about composting is that there is an odor associated with decomposing materials. The odor that is referred to is caused when microbes don’t thrive amongst the compost. Microbes are the microscopic living organisms that convert biodegradable waste into rich organic soil. Like any living being, microbes require oxygen to exist. This happens by turning the compost. When the compost sits neglected, microbes don’t get their oxygen. When the microbes don’t get their oxygen, they die, they smell, and the compost doesn’t decompose nearly as fast. The smell associated with composting only happens when compost is neglected.
This is where compost tumblers come in very handy: they are incredibly easy to maintain. Every time you throw something in your compost tumbler, you just turn it a few times. It is never neglected, it is never stinky, and it turns out fresh organic soil in record breaking time. Typically, with a single compost bin or compost heap, decomposition time can take between six months and two years. Compost tumblers, when used and turned regularly, have been known to create humus in as little as a month or two. This does, of course, depend on the user. What can be accurately said is that compost tumblers will cut decomposition time in at least half.
There are a few things to consider when shopping for a compost tumbler. Compost tumblers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. As always the case, think first of your own composting needs. This will help to determine what size tumbler you need. Consider as well your own physical needs. Some people struggle with turning huge heaps of compost; one major advantage that compost tumblers offer is that they require very little physical exertion to turn. The height of some tumblers can be a factor because height determines ease of accessibility.
Another factor to consider is the material used in the construction of the tumbler. A good choice in material for compost tumblers is food grade plastic. This material is UV resistant which means that it will be durable, and last a very long time. Some compost tumblers have metal parts, which isn’t necessarily an advantage because they become weather rusted in certain climates. A food grade plastic compost tumbler generally outlives the rest, and maintains a nice warm temperature for the microbes that dwell in there.
Yet another important factor to consider before you buy is maneuverability. For the most part, when filled with compost, you’re probably not going to be moving your compost tumbler around your lawn or garden. However, there are some models that are bulkier and harder to move than others. If you know that you will at some point be required to move your bin, you should absolutely factor this into the equation. There are several rolling models that simply roll across your lawn, churning the compost as you move it. Now there are also several models that actually include wheels; one of which doubles as a wheelbarrow. So if maneuverability is an issue, you certainly are at no loss to find portable compost tumblers.
Whatever your composting need, give compost tumblers a shot. You might have to invest a bit more money up front than a standard compost bin, but you’ll find that the returns of this method of composting are well worth it.

Good luck!

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Compost Tumbler For Sale – Transfer, Pennsylvania

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

Greetings!compost 1

We have found a good composter for your consideration. It is on a 32 inch stand and works well. This would be a great way to start composting at a cheap price! The seller is asking $150. (more…)

Compost Tumbler For Sale – Batesville, Indiana

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

Greetings!compost 1

Here is a simplistic, large composter for you to consider. It is in great shape and would help in any large garden or yard. The seller is asking $150. Here are the details: (more…)