Looking for a composter? Noticed there are more than one type? Which should you choose? Which one is better? Let’s explore…
The search for a composter, both in style and usage, is not limited to just a makeshift box to dump your scraps in. Whether you’re looking for a particular style to match your yard’s decor and/or in search of the best composter that fits your lifestyle, the selections available are more than you might think.
If convenience and ease of use is an important factor to your composting activity, a compost tumbler would probably be the composter for you. The compost tumbler is basically an aerating compost bin. Compost tumblers are designed to be turned, hence the more circular bins and a crank on the side to turn the bin. They’re perfect for those looking to compost more efficiently and without much of the hands-on turning with the garden fork. Four types of compost tumblers are available: crank-operated tumblers, center-axle tumblers, case-rolling drum tumblers, and roll around composters.
Compost bins, while not as exciting nor efficient as a tumbler, are not to be dismissed for their function, which gives the composter a greater flexibility to make compost at their own pace. With the use of a garden fork to turn the pile, composting with a compost bin is the most active way to participate in the activity and closely monitor the process of your compost. Having a bin offers a more deliberate method for those who enjoy composting recreationally.
The determining factor depends solely on how you, as the gardener, prefer to partake in the activity. Your enjoyment in the process can be invariably affected by your choice in composters.
Filed under: Compost Tumbler, Eco-Products, composters | Tags: compost, Compost Bin, Compost Tumbler, composters, composting, composting equipment, Gardening
Whether you have tried using a compost bin before or not, you may not have tried a compost tumbler. The basic idea of compost tumblers is that they allow you to take your household food scraps and turn them into fertilizer.
The difference between compost piles and compost tumblers:
When most people think of composting, they think of compost piles. Well, there are a lot of things that make compost tumblers better than compost piles. The biggest things that make compost tumblers better are looks and smell.
Compost piles look and smell awful in your yard. Sealed compost tumblers, on the other hand, come in all sizes, shapes and colors. So, compost tumblers do the job, while also serving as yard decorations. At the same time, compost tumblers are sealed, as mentioned before, so they don’t smell nearly as bad as compost piles.
Compost bins as opposed to compost tumblers:
Unlike compost bins, compost tumblers are active composters. By flipping compost tumblers over every once in a while, you can aerate your compost much more and keep it moving.
Now, you could have a compost pile and either not move it at all, which would not be efficient at all, or move it with a shovel, which would take a lot of extra energy. Why bother, though, when you can use compost tumblers and get better results with just one flip of the compost tumblers every two or three days?
So, compost tumblers make compost faster and more efficiently than plain compost bins. Compost tumblers take much less effort, too!
Compost tumblers and animal control:
Another major plus for owners of compost tumblers is that they can keep wild animals out of their compost! As we all know, animals like raccoons and skunks absolutely love to dig through trash, including compost piles. Considering all the rabies scares around, as well as th noise and general mess that such animals can make, it’s worth investing in sealed compost tumblers, just to keep them out.
Of course, sealed compost tumblers can also keep dogs, cats and even kids from messing up your compost. So, when you think about it, compost tumblers are a great investment.
Compost tumblers and conservation efforts:
Compost tumblers can help you to conserve time, space and money.
Compost tumblers conserve time because you don’t have to take your scraps to the dump, put them out for collection or leave to get plant fertilizer at the store.
Compost tumblers can also save space. That’s because, if you use a compost tumbler, you won’t need to throw away nearly as much trash or yard waste. Imagine not having to put out nearly as many trash bins. Not only does that make it convenient for you, but also less expensive, if you pay by the bag to have trash removed. Not to mention the fact that compost tumblers can help to save the environment because less trash will be brought to dumps.
As far as saving money, as mentioned above, compost tumblers can keep you from having to buy fertilizer or pay to have as much trash removed. Compost tumblers can also save you money in the long term because the compost made from them can grow much higher quality vegetables than some of the traditional pesticides and fertilizers can help you to produce. That means that compost tumblers can keep you from having to buy expensive vegetables at the grocery store.
So, when you think about it, you really can’t go wrong with compost tumblers. Give them a try! You’ll be glad that you did!
Filed under: Compost Bin, Eco-Products | Tags: compost, Compost Bin, composter, composting
For those serious about composting, I present to you a nifty find. Labeled “The Terminator Bin,” this heavy duty compost bin looks to be the composter to top all composters. Built with longevity in mind, this composter was constructed to sustain the harshest conditions. It won’t fade, crack, rust, and is pretty much weatherproof. The bin keeps moisture out during rainy days and keeps animals from rummaging through the bin. Removable side panels on the upper and lower side of the bin allows easy access to turn and extract your compost. While most casual gardeners or composters probably won’t require something this great, the effectiveness of this heavy duty composter can be realized by those that require more protection due to outdoor circumstances.
Filed under: Eco-Products, Rainsavers | Tags: barrels, conservation, environment, green, rain, rain barrels, Rainsavers
Have you ever had the sinking and uneasy feeling that you’re wasting way too much water on a daily basis? Whether it’s the compulsively overlong showers, the uncontrollable urge to wash your hands twenty times a day, the always spotless glass and dishes, or the constant need to do the laundry to satiate the neurotic nature within you for clean clothing, we pretty much all have some price to pay for our peculiarities. So what is the alternative to getting help for yourself? Own a rain barrel of course! Rain barrels effortlessly alleviate the high cost of living by saving you money and providing mental gratification that you aren’t a completely wasteful human being in solely relying on the municipal water supply for all your vices. Show your friends and neighbors that you care about the environment and that they should too! Rainwater harvesting is a pro-active solution to conserve water without even trying. You just sit a rain barrel on the side of your home and allow the rain water from the gutter of your roof pour into it. Depending on how much water you would like to conserve, rain barrels come in different sizes and they fill up quickly during downpours. Harvested rainwater should only be used to water your lawn and garden, or even wash your car with it. But even so, collected rain water is most useful during those times in the year when rain is scarce, especially when a looming threat of a limited supply of freshwater is a constant burden.
The rain barrel ought to be one of the things people should own. A lot of us are just natually impulse buyers. We often buy things that we really don’t need but we want because we have to have it. Well, for all you home gardeners and water-conscious people, a rain barrel is definitely one of those needed things. In fact, don’t even think of it as an impulse buy because it’s not. Think of it as an impulse investment. Sounds much better, right? The thing is, rain barrels are efficient and will provide long lasting usage for those who absolutely cannot stand wasted rain water.
Rainwater harvesting has been utilized by people for thousands of years and for a variety of purposes. Although today rain water use is limited to a few things due to unfiltered and unsanitary conditions of the water, ordinary everyday things like watering your plants, garden, and lawn can take its toll on your water bill when using the garden hose. Whether you’re a hands-on type of person or a shopper, you can either build your own rain barrel or find one online such as the popular Rain Catcher. Using rain water to complement the compost you use for soil will provide a healthy dose of completely natural nutrients for your garden.
Filed under: Uncategorized
This will be a blog about composting and garden products, hopefully providing informative information for gardeners looking for equipment and accessories for their gardening practices. I think of gardening as a form of recycling nature, and with the use of some of the products I will eventually blog about, you’ll see that it’s the little things we can do to help mother nature flourish again. So here we go!
