Compost tumblers and bins are a simple way to turn household waste and garden refuse into rich, dark fertilizer that your plants will love. Instead of hauling all of that yard and kitchen waste to a landfill where it will sit for decades, you can return it to the earth and improve your soil at the same time.
Chemical fertilizers do not help your soil – and they can even hurt it in the long run. Compost is like feeding your garden whole foods – chemical fertilizers are like giving it soda pop. In the short run, everything may look fine, but soon your plants will start to show weakness that can attract insects or disease.
These days everyone is looking to save a buck and many people are adding to their vegetable gardens to save money on food costs. Growing your own vegetables is a great way to get more exercise and improve your diet. From the tiny early spring greens to the last cabbages of fall, you can grow vegetables to save money for at least 6 months out of the year in most climates. Freeze, can or dry some of summer’s bounty, and you’ll be enjoying concentrated sunshine all year. Of course, the health benefits of a garden are worth even more than the vegetables you’ll harvest.
For some, gardening is not as easy as it used to be. New tools and techniques can make gardening easy again. A compost tumbler is a perfect example. Instead of the backbreaking labor of turning a compost pile by hand, you can simply rotate the bin. Some models have a crank handle, others rotate because of their shape.
No matter which compost tumbler you choose, you’ll enjoy the benefits of easy compost and the great feeling of recycling organic materials instead of toting them to a landfill. Your plants will love the rich compost. Compost is full of minerals and nutrients not found in commercial fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers are not only nutritionally lacking for your garden, they can build up in the soil and cause burns to your plants – or wash into local waterways and cause problems for wildlife. Compost, on the other hand, goes right back into the soil and helps to improve the health of plants and reduce erosion.
Composting is simple, just add your vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells, coffee grinds, leftovers (no meat or fatty foods, they don’t compost well and will attract bugs), yard waste, lawn clippings and other natural materials. Add just enough water to dampen the mix, and then let your compost tumbler do the work while you enjoy your garden. reusable iced coffee cup