How to use a compost tumbler – expert advice for fast fertilizer

Homemade compost is game-changing. With a good compost bin, you can turn house and garden waste into nutritious fertilizer without paying a cent.

However, though it seems easy, compost can be one of the trickier things to master in the garden. The wrong ingredients at the wrong time can throw off the whole process, leaving you with a smelly mess - and this is especially common in compost tumblers.

I spoke to garden experts about the right way to use a compost tumbler to ensure that your compost is perfect for your plants.

What is a compost tumbler?

A compost tumbler is exactly as it sounds. It's a compost bin on an axle that can be rotated to turn the compost.

Gardening expert Angelika Zaber explains: 'A compost tumbler is essentially a container that is fully sealed and can be rotated to mix the composting material, using either kitchen or garden waste, and turned to create compost faster.'

Angelika Zaber

Angelika Zaber is a Lawn Care Specialist working for Online Turf. She is dedicated to providing exceptional lawn care expertise and horticultural advice that encourages both novice and experienced gardeners.

Why use a compost tumbler over a normal compost bin?

Compost tumblers are useful because they save you from turning the compost with a fork and they keep pests at bay. Valeria Nyman sums it up succinctly: 'No pitchforks, no backbreaking turning, and it helps keeps pests out.'

Rather than get up close and personal with composting material, turning by hand, a compost tumbler spins, so you can turn it with minimal effort. Turning improves aeration by mixing the material, which helps microbes break down your compost material.

This also means that compost tumblers can be quicker than traditional compost bins, but the process can still take several months. However, it is true that you will see faster results in a tumbling bin.

On top of that, because they are sealed and raised off the floor, compost tumblers prevent raccoons and rats from getting into your compost.

Valeria Nyman

Valeria is the Chief Product Officer at Taim.io, an innovative platform that serves as a personal, adaptive gardening coach, offering tailored weekly advice to users. Her areas of expertise include growing your own food.

What material should I use in a compost tumbler?

Compost tumblers don't require any different materials than a usual compost bin.

Valeria Nyman explains: 'The trick is the mix. You need about 2 to 3 parts brown material (dry leaves, shredded paper) to 1 part green material (that'd be food scraps, grass clippings). Then just toss in a handful of soil to kickstart the microbes.'

There are a lot of things you should never add to your compost, as well as surprising, unusual compost ingredients that can make a real difference. Above all, make sure the ratio is right. If the ratio is off, you won't be able to start the microbial processes that make for good compost.

How often should you spin a compost tumbler?

The good news is that compost tumblers are relatively low maintenance. You only need to turn it once a week - this gives it a week for the material to begin to decompose. Then, you spin the tumbler again to keep that process going, while also combining with new materials.

Angelika Zaber says: 'Make sure to turn your compost tumbler only once or twice a week. If you do this too often it may result in big clumps of wet material that can then rot.'

There's no real trick to this - simply spin the bin once or twice a week to ensure a good mix.

Where should you place a compost tumbler?

Placement is important for a compost tumbler. You should try to keep them in a sunny spot. In extreme cases, compost bins in the sun can dry out, but in most of the country, a sunny spot will heat the microbes and help speed up the process.

Valeria Nyman says: 'Placement matters. Put your compost in a sunny spot to keep the microbes warm and working, but not somewhere you’ll hate walking to in winter.''

How do you remove compost from a compost tumbler?

It's easy to tell when compost is ready. Valeria says: 'If it smells earthy and crumbles in your hands, it’s done. If it still smells like last week’s dinner, give it more time.'

Once the compost is the right consistency, you'll find it's usually much easier to remove compost from a tumbler than other bins. Angelika Zaber 'Some compost tumblers may allow you to position the wheelbarrow underneath, so you can just simply open the door.' If it won't fit a wheelbarrow, just use a plastic bucket.

Tumbling compost bins aren't the only type of compost bin out there. Classic static bins can make much more compost, and hot bins are even faster. Figuring how to buy a compost bin that best suits your yard can make a huge difference to the quality of your compost.