Compost tumblers offer a number of great advantages; they're easy to operate, composting is done quicker and more effectively, and they can contain the odors that cause compost bins or piles to stink.  Some of the compost tumblers on the market offer built in aeration systems.  These allow the compost when it is turned to be properly aerated and prevent it from drying up.  Additionally, since there's a lid on the top of it, you'll keep pests out and odors trapped in.  Even better, a compost tumbler typically has your compost ready in weeks rather than months!

A compost bin is more of a square, boxed in container for keeping your compost waste inside.  You can build your own compost bin from wooden pallets or other wood, or even make one using garden fence. The drawbacks for having a compost bin may be that odors escape from the pile of garbage and eventually will become unpleasant. Also, if it's open air and doesn't have a cover, animals or pests may find a way inside. This could make things a mess or even hazardous, depending on what animals your trash attracts. If you've thrown the wrong sorts of waste into the bin, an animal may even become infected by disease. With a compost tumbler, you can usually put a lid on it so to speak, keeping odors in and animals out.

There's plenty of great compost tumblers already available on the market. One such model is the Urban Compact Tumbler which is sturdy and built from 100% recycled plastic. It also features a patented aeration system inside, and a cross bar in it as well to prevent clumping. You can find these great tumblers at your local hardware or home and garden stores, as well as purchase them online. The advantage to them is you'' get your compost made a lot quicker than normally and a lot easier. If you'd prefer to save some money, you can go the Do-it-Yourself route and build your own homemade compost tumbler. There's very little material involved in these and they're easy to construct in different variations.

The simplest design for a homemade compost tumbler involves using a plastic garbage can or barrel with attachable lid.  These can be any size, and obviously the bigger the container, the more compost it will hold.  You'll want to poke holes in the barrel or garbage container so that enough air will get in to mix with the compost.  Oxygen is one of the key ingredients to compost and will keep your compost from becoming too dry.  Once you've got the tumbler container ready, you'll want to make compost to go inside.  Compost is simply a mixture of waste from around your home, yard, and garden areas.  The compost mixture you put inside should be half brown waste materials such as cardboard, wood shavings, newspapers, and half green materials such as grass, vegetables, coffee grinds, fruit peels and tea bags.  The brown materials are rich in carbon, while the green are rich in nitrogen.  The mixture will aid composting greatly.

Once you've got your compost tumbler filled with waste materials, put the lid on and place it in an area where you won't have to worry about possible odors. Make sure to seal the lid on it securely so that unwanted pests can't get into it. To perform regular compost tumbling, you'll simply roll the can or barrel on its side to mix the layers inside, and aerate them. You'll also want to add water to the compost inside from time to time via a light spray from a garden hose, or from a watering can. Within several months your compost will be ready to apply to the soil. Not only is this fun, but building a homemade compost tumbler will save you money and provide you with great nutrient-rich soil all while helping the environment!