Corn cobs? Dump it and start over the right way. Easiest way to get used to it is to limit what you put in: grass clippings/soft kitchen waste and shredded leaves. Green:Brown should be ~1:2 and that will get you there. Not too wet either, like a damp sponge. We got a cheap compost bin and end up using it as the third bin in your three-bin system.

Dan

Bonnie, here is a Cooperative Extension webpage on composting with tumblers discussed:

Composting Methods

This is a "materials" list of what might go into compost:

Characteristics of Raw Materials

My one attempt to use a tumbler met with failure. I think that was because I tried for a very high nitrogen mix. It ended up being very much like what your husband is hoping to avoid . . .

If something useful occurs to me, I'll be back later.

Steve

It will smell - either just a tiny bit whiffy, or OMG OMG DRAG THAT OUTTA HERE!?!@!

So I would locate it some distance away from the house, say in the back corner of the garden. The smell comes from too high a ratio of 'greens'. So some folks have a stash of 'browns' nearby, to add as the whiff-o-meter starts to climb. I haven't done this myself, but I read that a supply of shredded paper will do the trick.

I occasionally get that perfect combo in the fall, mowing up fallen leaves and grass clippings, that will start to steam immediately with no odor at all, and compost down in a few weeks.

I used to have wonderful compost in CA with all the trees, and the London plane used to drop leaves in summer so year-round brown. Mow and go. Harder here, but doable. Now if I could just find a place around here that rented leaf shredders, I'd be golden...

Dan

Thanks for the help everybody!

I took your advice Dan, and emptied most of the contents. There was some straw and small pieces of cardboard that I left in there, but I shoveled out all of the dirt clods, dried up clumps of grass, corn cobs, etc. The biggest problem with what was in there wasn't that she put in things that weren't compostable, but that it was completely dry. It looked like the contents had been in there quite a while.

David, the only place availabe to put it was on the side of the garage where the garbage cans and recycle bins are located. I'm hoping that since it is an enclosed unit, that the smell won't be as bad as an open pile.

I wish it was an area that got more sun, but unfortunately, its on the northwest side of the house, which might slow things down a bit. It should be a fairly convenient spot though, since the kitchen is right off the garage, I won't have far to go when adding kitchen scraps. So far, all I've added is some shredded paper, grass clippings, and coffee grounds. Oh, and a little water.

So if I keep adding to it all winter, should I have something usable by spring?

Tumblers are generally an all-at-once fill, Bonnie: spin every week or so and water as needed, then come back in 2-3 months to spread. You need the mass to cause enough critters to eat and create heat.

Dan

I've never used a tumbler but I think it would be fine to add some things on a regular basis. Depending on the timing of when you want a finished product things you would want to avoid adding might include anything containing seeds that might not breakdown fast enough. No need to have volunteer winter squash, cucumbers or weeds popping up.

I've heard the same thing as Dan - you fill it up slowly or quickly, but it really isn't going to compost until its nearly full.