Compost Pile versus Tumbler  

We have pallets forming compost bins. We through all our stuff in there all year and each new growing season we take off the top layer and get at the gold beneath. Our garden has gotten so good in spots with this stuff that I do not even have to dig it up to plant. The ground is so pliable and the plants so happen that grow there. Hope all my garden gets alot like that in the next few years.

I am a newbie to composting. The extent of my composting is to toss my food scraps onto a pile of leaves. My husband balks at this practice. He worked for a landscaper too! You would think that he would understand the benefits of using compost. And, if you can make it in your back yard even better. I need tips.

Yes I compost. And I think that I can help you alittle, both with composting and saving a little money.
You can easily build your own compost tumbler for less than $50.
1st the cradle. I used and old cheap steel framed table and removed the wooden top. You can use 4 posts if you need to. Build a simple square frame on top with old wheelbarrow tires pointed upward. The barrel will set on top of these.
Make sure that the cradle is high enough to get a wheelbarrow under it, to dump the finished compost into.
2nd the barrel. I used and old 50 gal drum with a removeable lid. Paint the inside and out flat black, this helps with temperature. Now run a piece of threaded rod through the barrel, end to end. On this rod secure 3-4 old lawnmower blades. Make a handle on the outside of the drum on the treaded rod. Cut a 1' square hole in the side of the drum, use a piano hinge and barrel bolt to open and close door.
If this dosent make sense, I'll try to send pictures.
It usually takes me about 3 weeks to make a batch of compost.

I just have a big heap out at the back of my garden. It really dosn't need much work! All you guys have to do is turn it once a year! And that isn't even that hard..Well maby a little...okay a lot but anyway it is worth it!

I had a ComposTumbler for 10 yrs. b4 it finally rusted beyond repair last year. I had a big hole in the yard left after removing a huge concrete slab so threw all my compost stuff in there. I just dug it all out this past weekend and added it all to my garden and filled the hole in with all the ashes from my firepit out back. Now I'm debating on using one of my old plastic garbage cans as a compost bin. Can't have an open pit with all the wild animals in the woods around us. -sighs- Oh how I miss my ComposTumbler. One of these days I'll buy another and bigger one. The one I had was the smallest size they made that fit on our deck. Now that we have moved from our very small yard to over an acre yard, the bigger one will come in handy.

If you want compost faster then use a blender to make the vegetable scraps smaller and where each piece will have more surface area for the bacteria to break it down for the worms to digest it even more. If you leave large pieces of material then it will take longer for it to turn to good compost. Also make sure to aerate it and keep it moist so that the bacteria and worms do not dry out and die on you.