In recent times, composting has become a rather essential part of gardening for people across the globe. It helps get rid of unwanted garden and kitchen waste in an environmentally friendly way, and also creates great fertilizer your garden. That said, you should know that there are two main compost designs; a compost bin and a compost tumbler.
Both types are rather effective at producing compost, however, there are significant differences. Clearly understanding the benefits and features of these two designs will make it much easier for you to choose the ideal composter. In this article, we are going to compare and contrast the 2 main compost designs so as to help you make a well informed decision;
What are the differences between a compost bin and a compost tumbler?
A compost bin is basically a stationary enclosure where you put your compost. These types of bins will require you to manually mix the product with a shovel or pitchfork. On the other hand, a compost tumbler is a type of compost bin structure where you can recycle your kitchen and garden waste. It is a fully enclosed container which can be rotated. Rotating the tumbler mixes the composting ingredients that are inside; this speeds up the composting process and requires less work as compared to a compost bin.
Building a Compost Bin or Buy a Compost Tumbler?
Composting time
Typically compost tumblers produce compost twice as fast as the compost bins. This is because tumblers are designed to speed up the composting process by basically providing more heat, better aeration and better mixing of the composting materials.
Pest control
Compost bins are more susceptible to rodents or pests burrowing in from beneath and even nesting inside where food is nearby and temperature is warm. Compost tumblers on the other hand are 100% pest proof because they are completely sealed.
Functionality
Compost bins are rather traditional structures and aren’t designed to make the composting process easy. It can be rather difficult to get a shovel into the compost and turn it at times.
Compost tumblers by contrast are designed to make it easy to turn compost since all you have to do is spin the drum a couple of time a week. Tumblers are also easier to empty than the compost bins. With a tumbler, a wheelbarrow can be directly rolled under the drum so the compost can get dumped right in.
Durability
Tumblers are more durable than the compost bins. The compost tumblers are robustly constructed because they need to be sturdy enough so as to hold the weight of all the composting materials.
Compost bins are usually made from thin plastic, since their purpose is to contain the composting materials instead of supporting its’ weight. This thin plastic becomes brittle in direct sunlight or cold weather, and can chip or crack with age.
Conclusion
Compost tumblers are specifically designed to make your life much easier when composting. They are easier to work with, more robust and provide better aeration. They are also better at keeping pests out, and most of them are easily portable which comes in handy when you want to fertilize your garden.
However, they are a bit more expensive as compared to building your own compost bin. All in all, it’s clear that a compost tumbler is an ideal choice given the convenience, functionality and performance it offers.
If you think you prefer the idea of buying a compost tumbler rather than making a compost bin, head over to Amazon.com to check out some of the best selling compost tumblers for the best prices, including the Jora-Composter-Tumbler.