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Compost Tumbler From A Garbage Can
If you're like me and save every leaf that falls in the entire neighborhood, you may be looking for a way to speed up your composting. And the best way to do that is with a compost tumbler.
A compost tumbler is just a compost bin that is designed for easy turning. Remember that turning your compost is the best way to let the pile breathe. Don't forget there's billions of microbes in that pile and they're working hard to give you the best garden in town, so pay them back with some air.
Most compost tumblers are a variation of a big drum on rollers with a crank that you can turn. Put your greens and browns in the drum and give it a turn every once in a while. Much easier than climbing into your compost bin with a pitch fork.
My parents own the Urban Compost Tumbler
And so I decided to build one out of a garbage can. Where's the crank or the easy turning mechanism you may ask? I'm the crank. You may have seen my compost tumbler video where I just roll this thing around my yard. That's all it needs. And a bungy cord keeps the lid in place.
So take a garbage can and drill holes in it. If you're worried about little creatures climbing into your bin, then screen over the holes. It's actually a pretty easy garden project.
I've promised a few people, detailed instructions on how I built this homemade compost tumbler and they're coming in a future post. But in the meantime, I've got to go and roll my garbage can around my yard.
15 Comments:
It's okay, comments are welcomed no matter where you put them. :)
Matron,
That's a awesome looking tumbler on your site. Looks military, very hard core.
Lisa,
Low cost is how I roll.
:)
P~
Yes, I did think about your project when I was brain storming what I wanted to do. Unfortunately I didn't have any old pickle barrels laying around so I went with a garbage can. :)
At the moment, my composter IS a drilled garbage can with a lid held on by a bungie. The idiot part comes with the realization that this whole year of standing there like nit shaking this thing when I coulda just kicked it about the drive for a few minutes.
Hmmmm. Wonder if I can get my soccer mad neighbor kids to look at this as great exercise for game days?
Thanks for posting!
But here's the quick version. I drilled the holes with a hole cutting bit on my drill and then covered them with fiberglass screen. The same screen that you'd use to screen in a porch or repair a window screen.
To attach the screens, I used a regular glue gun with those wax sticks. And a bungee cord helps keep the lid on while I'm rolling it around. Everything seems to be staying together nicely.