New to composting.. When I add pile everyday, how do I take out the compost which is ready after 3-6months?
1787799
I'm new to composting too. From what I've read you build a pile, let it heat & cure for a few weeks, then take it apart & start over using a portion of the compost from the cured batch to help start a new batch. Lots of info on the internet on how to do this.
1787800
Remove the Geobin and set it up again next to where it is now . Put the top of the pile into the now empty bin and the bottom is the compost you can use .
1042372
I keep adding to my compost all winter. I just don't turn it over as often, maybe once every 2 weeks or so. While nothing will "cook" during the winter, you'll have fresh material on standby for when it does start to warm up. I suppose my only tip would be to make sure you add material to it during the daytime and make sure your composter stays in a sunny spot. The door can freeze "shut" at night due to the lower temperatures and any moisture along the track.I've already been through one winter with it and I sincerely had no issues and didn't have to make any changes to the way I used the tumbler. I keep adding to my compost all winter. I just don't turn it over as often, maybe once every 2 weeks or so. While nothing will "cook" during the winter, you'll have fresh material on standby for when it does start to warm up. I suppose my only tip would be to make sure you add material to it during the daytime and make sure your composter stays in a sunny spot. The door can freeze "shut" at night due to the lower temperatures and any moisture along the track.I've already been through one winter with it and I sincerely had no issues and didn't have to make any... » Read More I keep adding to my compost all winter. I just don't turn it over as often, maybe once every 2 weeks or so. While nothing will "cook" during the winter, you'll have fresh material on standby for when it does start to warm up. I suppose my only tip would be to make sure you add material to it during the daytime and make sure your composter stays in a sunny spot. The door can freeze "shut" at night due to the lower temperatures and any moisture along the track.I've already been through one winter with it and I sincerely had no issues and didn't have to make any changes to the way I used the tumbler. « Show Less
1400396
I took my bin to the compost bin and came in and rinsed it. I was able to pour 3 quarts + 3 cups of water into it before it was running over. I usually empty it when it has about 3 quarts of the ground pre-compost material. It is great!
425920
It depends on: what you are composting; if you turn it and how often; the diameter you make the unit. We don't turn till the end of the growing season and our two 4' diameter bins shrink down as fast as we ad material. We harvest the bottom (oldest) compost when tilling the new garden in the spring and leave the top layers to start the growing season addition of material.
2005052
It's a great little composting bin for the first time composter. It can take a while depending on how you care for it. It definitely allows for breakdown if you turn it regularly and water it regularly. I put every stray worm I can find in there too to help out the process. I didn't have compost material after using it for 4 months but have had this for about a year now and have compost material for our garden this Spring.
398399
I had the same question when I got my bag, which wants you to use the whole thing at once. So I asked a farmer friend; he recommended half an ounce per gallon of compost. Hope this helps!
2160681
I got mine maybe 6 months ago. It was a bear to assemble. Unless something has changed recently, I would plan on taking 2-3 hours to put this together. I really love this composted though so to me it was worth it.
661997
It depends what you put in it, time of the year, and when you stop adding new material in the composter. In the summer it takes about two months after the last material is added.
568329
it takes awhile as the composter is small. Ideally it would be 3x3x3 feet. But it is convenient. In retrospect I would just buy a large plastic garbage can and drill holes in it, then compost in that. You can bungy-cord the lid on and just roll it over and over to aerate.
2005923
It depends on the material used, how large the pieces are, and so forth. I can get compost out of my Lifetime tumbler in about three to four weeks, but I use a shredder and I prop the lid up a few inches with sticks to improve aeration. Fourteen to twenty-one days could be possible with the right material and ideal moisture condtions. I usually cycle my batches every five or six weeks when I'm keeping up with it.
1942847
The compost tumbler has two chambers. On average it takes 4-6 weeks to fill a chamber. Once filled you start filling the second chamber. Once the second chamber is full the kitchen scraps in the first chamber has had a long time to break down into fine compost. You then empty the first chamber and continue filling it alternating the chambers. So the first time you use the composter you might have to wait 8-12 weeks before you get actual compost but after that initial face the. You'll get compost every 4-6 weeks depending on how much you use it and if you have bough kitchen scraps to fill it on a daily basis. The compost tumbler has two chambers. On average it takes 4-6 weeks to fill a chamber. Once filled you start filling the second chamber. Once the second chamber is full the kitchen scraps in the first chamber has had a long time to break down into fine compost. You then empty the first chamber and continue filling it alternating the chambers. So the first time you use the composter you might have to wait 8-12 weeks before you get actual compost but after that initial face the. You'll get compost every 4-6 weeks depending on how much you use it and if you have bough kitchen scraps to fill it... » Read More The compost tumbler has two chambers. On average it takes 4-6 weeks to fill a chamber. Once filled you start filling the second chamber. Once the second chamber is full the kitchen scraps in the first chamber has had a long time to break down into fine compost. You then empty the first chamber and continue filling it alternating the chambers. So the first time you use the composter you might have to wait 8-12 weeks before you get actual compost but after that initial face the. You'll get compost every 4-6 weeks depending on how much you use it and if you have bough kitchen scraps to fill it on a daily basis. « Show Less
467941
I have this problem as well. I have three ideas I am trying. The first one is I thing my compost is too wet. I believe the proper ratio is 10 brown to 1 green. So I have a lot of shreddings that I am adding to my compost. The second is that I am adding very small sticks in the hopes this will break them up. I have plenty around the yard. Sticks are brown material. The third is I think I may have been rotating too much. I believe rotating makes the balls. I used to do it every day. Now I do 3 rotations every 4 days and sometimes I go as long as a week. Hope this helps.
425919
There are a variety of factors that go into composting like the others have said such as size of the material, kind of material how often you turn it and other factors to consider but I would say on average about 2-3 months.
1909649
You might need to add more water if it seems dry. It might take a while to get compost if you don't have a lot of worms.
1660599
Yes, you can open the doors below and remove the compost. You of course, can stir, but I don't. I do, periodically add some soil or peat moss or manure so that I get a good mix.
1465432
We are two adults who make all our food "from scratch." It took 6 months for one side to get sort of filled. During the summer warmth it decomposed quite rapidly, once it got started. It took a couple of weeks for the process to start up. Now that it is winter, the other side is filling quite quickly, and as for any compost, cold weather slows the process down. I am not sure how it will work out capacity-wise over the whole winter.
1042375
I keep adding to my compost all winter. I just don't turn it over as often, maybe once every 2 weeks or so. While nothing will "cook" during the winter, you'll have fresh material on standby for when it does start to warm up. I suppose my only tip would be to make sure you add material to it during the daytime and make sure your composter stays in a sunny spot. The door can freeze "shut" at night due to the lower temperatures and any moisture along the track. I've already been through one winter with it and I sincerely had no issues and didn't have to make any changes to the way I used the tumbler.