curb-picked a barrel composter - how do I feed it?

11 years ago

No instructions, obviously. Looks to be 30-40 gallons. has vent holes that can be opened or closed. Stationary fins to break up clumps.

Is it better to load these all at once, or feed them until they are full, and then wait? What do I use for carbon material this time of year, and what ratio? Can I use torn newspaper, or shredded paper?

I had to stop putting kitchen scraps in the open compost pile because of critters so I'm hoping this will take care of the problem. I was thinking of throwing in the scraps each day, along with say twice as much carbon material.

Will it go faster if I put it in the sun, or is that too hot? Maybe put it in the sun in winter?

Comments (4)

robertz6
11 years ago
I would suggest you put it back and let someone else try it. I purchased a new tumbler and after two years found it was more trouble than it was worth. Gave it away.

Currently I use two large mesh bins that work well. The tumbler center bar broke after four years, but by then I had already switched to hardware cloth mesh bins. There is not ONE right answer to which bin or system is the 'best' choice.

You will find others who like their tumblers. But first read up on composting, some of the GW threads on tumbler, and short articles on composting in general.

The way it should work:
1) Person reads up on composting
2) Person looks at their yard, local regulations, resources, needs for compost, soil
3) And only then selects a composting bin or system which is approciate for the person, yard and situation.
birdgardner
Original Author
11 years ago
I have composted via the pile or lasagna methods, without forking and turning, so it can take a while. My hope is that the barrel would be faster, and that I could use kitchen scraps.

Nothing is broken in this composter. It's a a no-cost investment. I asked for help in using it, not discouragement. It was already obvious that the original owner wasn't crazy about the barrel - she got rid of it!
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Laurel Zito
11 years ago
The problem that is going on here is there are too many negative people. If I tell someone I don't like using newspaper, just as an example, I will get all of these hostile remarks telling me newspaper is perfectly great, and where do I get off telling you not to use it?

Your question is too general and would take too long to answer. I like to put mine in the sun, I hope I don't get a thousands replies saying how truly awful that is.
Lloyd
11 years ago
You can batch or continuous feed, it depends on your material source and what you like to do.

Paper will work as a C source. It has few nutrients but it will work. I like your idea of twice as much carbon as kitchen stuff but if your kitchen stuff is very moist it might need more. I tried wheat straw, didn't work well.

Food waste and critters can be an issue for some people and tumblers can work very well to prevent varmint problems.

Small volume tumblers likely won't generate a lot of heat, my small tumbler gets barely warmish. Sunlight would be an asset in a cool climate but it isn't a big issue one way or the other.

Best advice, try it and see what you get. Learning was half the fun for me.

Lloyd