Are you thinking about starting a compost pile to grow great food for your garden’s soil right in your own backyard? Here are tips for beginners on how to use and even DIY a compost tumbler. There are a lot of composting methods out there but here are 3 reasons to use a compost tumbler!
This article has been updated from its original publication in 2015 for better reader experience. Happy gardening!
More Useful Garden Links for Later:
Vermicomposting Options for Homesteaders
Don’t Turn Your Compost (Livestock Options)
Let’s sat you’ve decided to grow some of your own food this year. You’ve even tested your soil and have realized that your garden can benefit from a healthy topcoat of compost.
But how do you make compost without too much hassle? The simple answer is, to use a compost tumbler!
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What is a Compost Tumbler?
First things first: what is a compost tumbler?
Well, there’s the name brand version – ComposTumbler. The ComposTumbler units cost about $450 (2025 on Amazon) depending on what size you buy. I’ve had two commercial tumblers in my gardening life and I like them very much for the reasons you’ll see enumerated below.
There are variations on the compost tumbler design, of course. Here’s one called a compost ball that Andrea formerly of Little Big Harvest uses:
Photo used with permission
DIY the Compost Tumbler
If you’d like to save money by making your own compost tumbler, there are DIY compost tumbler designs for which you can buy or scrounge parts.
There are a variety of different kinds but the basic idea is that you have some kind of drum (barrel shaped container) into which you put your kitchen scraps. Then you roll the drum once a day in order to keep all the composting particles rotating and actively breaking down.
- You periodically add some moisture in order to keep the decomposition process going and in two to three weeks, you have black gold to add to your vegetable beds or container garden.
Here’s one video tutorial on YouTube on how to build your own.
Here’s a homemade model from Lonestar Farmstead.
Photo used with permission
3 Reasons to Use a Compost Tumbler
There may be several reasons you’re considering purchasing a compost tumbler, but here are three obvious ones:
- Compost tumblers are easy to use, tidy, and easy to place in the garden.
- They’re also designed to create compost quickly.
- Lastly, because they rotate, compost tumblers are easy to empty for wheelbarrow distribution of compost around the garden.
#1 – A Compost Tumbler is Easy to Use
You could build a standard standard 3-bin composting system – they work great and they’re cheap to put together. You can even allow your livestock access to them to turn the contents and process them into compost efficiently.
- I don’t know about you, but turning compost with a pitchfork is not on my list of things I enjoy doing. Ever.
A compost tumbler will simply work a little faster to breakdown leftovers into usable compost. It’s also a very tidy system that is a little less unsightly if you have near neighbors, a small backyard, and/or are living under the tyranny of an HOA.
To Use a Compost Tumbler:
- Choose one of the chambers and place all your veggie scraps into that side.
- You can also add chopped straw and leaves, cut grass, and really any compostable material that you would add to a regular compost pile
- Close the door and turn the handle.
- Add to that same side for a chosen period of time until it’s relatively full. Let’s say, two weeks.
- Use a hose to add enough water to the mix to keep it evenly damp but not drenched.
- Keep turning the handle daily, but don’t add any more scraps to that first side. Allow it to decompose for 2-4 weeks. (The elements break down quicker in warmer temperatures.)
- Check the decomposition rate and moisture level every once in awhile.
- Meanwhile, begin using the other side of the compost tumbler and follow the same steps.
You stagger use of each chamber so that you, ideally, always have compost beginning and finishing.
These units are so easy to use that you can turn the chore over to your kids easily. It’s perfectly possible for you children to open the unit, dump the scraps in and close it back up, turning it a few times before they leave.
- Just make sure that your child is tall enough and strong enough to work with the compost tumbler.
- Don’t have children turn the compost if it’s frozen or the handle could flip back and hurt them.
Just add turning the compost to your list of simple Garden Chores for Kids by Age.
#2 – A Compost Tumbler is Quick
Standard composting set ups usually require 3-9 months to finish decomposing.
- Because of the daily agitation and cosistent moisture a compost tumbler will produce usable compost in 14-21 days. This will take a little longer if the weather is cooler.
An active compost pile will generate its own heat, but the cold of winter can slow the process a bit in extreme cold. If you have severe winters, it’s likely that the contents of your compost tumbler will simply freeze solid. I suggest you empty it and only use your on-ground composting during deep winter.
- I suggest you diversify your composting efforts with a bin system, vermicomposting, and compost tumblers. They all work well together to keep you in compost!
On a traditional compost pile, you CAN do what’s called “hot agitation” to speed up the process, which is constant turning and dampening. However, it’s a lot of work and time and very hard on your body. Compost tumblers are simply easier to use and produce compost quickly!
#3 – A Compost Tumbler is Easy to Empty
Standard composting methods leave you with a big pile of compost on the ground. That means lots of bending and scooping and digging around with shovels. Many compost tumblers are designed to tumble on a stand.
- This means that when you harvest the compost, all you need to do is put a wheel barrow underneath the opening and dump out the compost inside the drum.
Some are designed to be free rolling so you can just roll your compost tumbler to where you need to empty it. Sometimes you need to scoop or scrape from the compost tumbler, but that’s a lot easier than pitchforking huge mounds of compost.
The Drawbacks of a Compost Tumbler
There are drawbacks to using a compost tumbler, of course. There’s the…uh…well, there’s the thing with…um…give me a minute, I’ll think of something.
- Oh yeah, you’ll have to buy or build one.
- If you’re garden is really big and you’re trying to generate all your own compost, you’ll need more than one. In fact, you may need several large ones. Or you can have one compost tumbler that’s just for kitchen and garden waste, and also grow cover crops to augment your soil’s health.
- As I said, you can’t compost in a tumbler in truly cold winter areas. My niece nearly lost a tooth one year trying to turn our tumbler when the contents where frozen because the handle kicked back at her.
Despite these issues, you may just want to take a look at the humble compost tumbler and see what you think about adding one to the garden this year. You can use all other composting methods alongside it, too!
The Rules of Compost
Whatever method you choose, compost making follows the same rules and its important to follow them well. To learn how to make delectable compost, visit these links:
Here's how you can bypass a composting unit all together. Composting Resources
How to Compost for Beginners: Systems & Methods for Thriving Gardens
Compost is Black Gold! |
Many Composting Methods
Build Your Own Compost Tumbler - Farm and Garden - GRIT Magazine
Building Soil with Lasagna Gardening
If you’re a garden nerd like me then you know that the more composting methods you know how to use, the better. If you decide you’d like to learn about vermicomposting (composting with worms), be sure to read that section of our book, The Do It Yourself Homestead. Don’t have a copy? No problem! You can get your own copy here. If you’d like a FREE sample of the vermicomposting section, just email me at Tessa@homesteadlady.com and I’ll get you set up. To learn more about the book, just click below.
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I do love that compost tumblr and I got mine for a steal on craigslist! The worms are still my favorite composting mechanism but it’s nice to have several things going at once on the homestead when a gal keeps large gardens.
I think the key to success with compost is variety, like you say. You can never have too much, right?
I need a new tumbler. Love my compost
I do love the tumblers – even the small ones can be so useful!!
BTW, Staci, did you see this giveaway we have going on for a few more days? https://wpt.homesteadlady.com/compost-tumbler-by-eartheasy-giveaway/
Hi everyone, do check “The Jora Compost Tumbler”- One of the easiest to use and the most efficient waste tumbler composter ever made. Compost Tumblers to fill a need for a composter that could work all year around. You can use Jora Composters to compost harder materials like fish and small chicken bones, avocado and peach pits etc. Best Composters on sale at affordable pricing!
So glad to know of another option, Riya! Let me know if you’d like a formal review done on our site and social media channels. Just email me at tessa@homesteadlady.com if you’re interested.
I would really like to start composting this year too. It’s good to know the pros and cons of this type of tumbler. I’m definitely going to have to research some more, but this was a super helpful start.
So glad it was helpful! They’re particularly suited for newbie composters, FYI.
Wow! I cannot believe you can have compost ready in TWO WEEKS!! WHAAAAT! That’s nuts!
I’d be embarrassed to admit how long I’ve been working on my compost haha
You have to be diligent but, yes, it’s quick!! Don’t be embarrassed, I have around ten compost piles of different types and aside from the tumbler, they’re never “done”! 🙂
I need to buy one tumbler to start it, it doesn’t look too difficult!
No, not at all – simple is the point, in fact! I hope you like it for its convenience.
Thanks for stopping by!
I had some dried yeast that had gone out of date I mixed with hot water poured into my compost tumbler it made a quick compost.
Yes, that’s a fantastic tip, thank you for sharing! You can also use kefir, ACV, or sourdough starter. Nearly anything fermented will help.