Making organic compost in bins and tumblers

Using compost bins and compost tumblers to make your own organic compost is a way of speeding up a natural process which has been occuring in nature for millenia.It's a good way of turning kitchen and garden waste into a natural organic fertilizer which is a cheap and natural way to make your garden grow.

Composting Basics

Organic compost can be made in one of two ways--the hot or aerobic ,and the cool or anaerobic .

Aerobic

In this type of composting the bacteria which break down the organic waste need oxygen to work effectively and create heat(120-150 degrees Farenhite)

Anaerobic

This is a much slower method and as the bacteria do not require oxygen they do not produce heat.This is the type of composting my father used on his organic allotment.He just left piles of organic garden and kitchen waste for as much as two years before digging it into his soil.

Compost Tumblers
Most organic gardeners cannot get enough compost so any method to speed up this process is most welcome.

One of the latest ways of making rich organic compost quickly from kitchen scraps and garden waste is to use acompost tumbler.The basic feature of a compost tumbler is that it mixes your kitchen and garden waste and gets plenty of oxygen into the  mix to increase aerobic activity.The more aerobic activity the quicker the decomposition and the sooner you can use your organic compost.

Compost Bins

                    Compost bins can vary from a hole in the ground where you pile all your

organic waste to more sophisticated wooden or plastic bins or a handy Pop-Up Compost Bin Whatever you use for your compost bins the basic principles are the same----you are making alternate layers of fresh high nitrogen organic waste such as manure ,kitchen waste,weeds and green plant residues with layers of high carbon waste such as straw , autumn leaves,hay and shredded tree  prunings.

The aerobic microbes need oxygen and moisture to do their work so keep the pile moist but not soaking. As the microbes begin  to work the heap will heat up .When it starts to cool  down mix the contents up and turn the out side of the heap into the middle -the more times you do this the quicker you will get good organic compost to spread on your organic garden.