Just ordered the Envirocycle Tumbler!

Nymiko 1/15/2013, 9:25 pm

Super excited to start composting... I'm a little scared of creating a stinky mess instead of "black gold" but I have kitchen scrapes, lawn clippings, a bunny busy making fertilizer and lots of cardboard,paper things so I convinced myself and my boyfriend I'd give it a twirl. I've been reading lots of info on composting online but was wondering if anyone have any extra tips on starting a compost pile in a tumbler. I think that compost will start after I have filled the bin up entirely and have to wait til it is finished before adding new materials. Tumblers use a "batch method". Will it be a problem if it takes me a while to fill up the tumbler?

Lemonie 1/15/2013, 10:02 pm

That looks like a pretty impressive composter you've got coming! cheers

I did a homemade one that I've used for a couple years that's not nearly as fancy, but does a good job. Just give it a little spin each time you add things and then plan on about 2-4 weeks after you add the last of it for all of it to completely "cook". Again, this depends on how well you keep up on the watering and tumbling. While it's cooking, might be a good idea to have another container or area to pile on your next batch. I've been using an old garbage can w/ holes in it for my "holding container." As for the smell, it's all about learning balance. I keep shredded paper and leaves close by and throw some on top each time I wet the pile or add some scraps from the kitchen. Sounds like you've already got a good start on what you need and will be on your way to black gold in no time! clap

**donnainzone5** 1/16/2013, 10:23 am

I've never had a problem with bugs or ugly smells from my Envirocycle composter.

However, it's best to fill it completely, if you can, with the proper balance of browns and greens. As others have said, keep it moist. Don't turn it too often, or it may not get hot enough to compost fairly quickly. Probably once or twice a week would be plenty.

It's very easy to spin the thing, and you can actually collect a small amount of compost tea from the bottom.

GWN 1/16/2013, 11:09 am

I have had a tumbler for 2 years now, I have yet to do it completely right.
I have had a tendency to get it too wet in the fall with all my canning, vegetable leftovers.... and then it gets clumpy. I read the envirocycle site and saw that this is because I have added too much of one thing at a time. So each time I "harvest" it it is a mucky mess, it is compost... but just composted the wrong way.
This year I was fortunate to get several buckets of fine sawdust in the fall and so has corrected the problem. Thank you for sharing the information, I went to their site and it is a wealth of knowledge about tumblers. I found that this part was quite interesting..to do with winter cold

Do not turn the unit but continue to add waste. Freezing breaks down fibers in organic material and will accelerate decomposition in spring.

I have always turned when I could in the winter, but when it was very wet and then very cold it just formed into one clump. This year with the sawdust it seems to still turn.

Thomas 1/16/2013, 12:00 pm

I have a paper shredder in my home office which cuts the paper into very small pieces. I am shredding general office type paper-not newspaper stock. Can this be used for composting? Any issues with acid or chemicals in the paper?

CapeCoddess 1/16/2013, 12:12 pm

I use shredded office paper from the office shredder on my compost and the worms LOVE it. After it's been there a few days, when I lift out a clump of paper to divide it up there's usually more worms than paper.

CC

GWN 1/16/2013, 12:30 pm

I started buying recycled paper from Costco for our office so that the paper would not be bleached. I read where the bleached paper might not be good for the worms. I find in my tumbler the shredded office paper tends to clump, however hopefully with the sawdust hopefully this will be better

Thomas 1/16/2013, 12:54 pm

Thanks for the input. I am also going to explore my sawdust collector in my basement workshop. Some of the dust might be from objectionable sources however: treated wood or plywood. Any thoughts on this?

GWN 1/16/2013, 6:00 pm

WIth regards to sawdust, I only use sawdust that comes from bare naked boards.
My DH has a planer and we have some wood we milled from trees that were cleared when we made our house.

I would not use sawdust from plywood, or painted wood, or treated wood, I think that they would all be toxic. However sawdust from a chainsaw, would be fine, except that it would be more course and perhaps take a bit longer to break down, but I do use that too.

plantoid 1/17/2013, 11:09 am

GWN wrote:I started buying recycled paper from Costco for our office so that the paper would not be bleached. I read where the bleached paper might not be good for the worms. I find in my tumbler the shredded office paper tends to clump, however hopefully with the sawdust hopefully this will be better

GWN,
My worms have happily scoffed their way through several paperback books this last five or six months gone .. I layered eight sheets at a time over the other stuff & then gave it a light covering of wet pulped veg matter & shredded cross cut office waste paer ( no glossies or coloured stuff ) , damped it down with a rain water spray .
It does not seem to have affected them as they went into overdrive big time with egg production in September last year .

GWN 1/18/2013, 11:36 am

plantoid
Not sure what kind of paper paperbacks are made from. I would think similar to newspapers.
the paper that offices use is often bleached to make it so bright white. I do use it on my worms, but the tumbler it seems to clump more.

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