Skip to main content

The best compost tumblers to control the pile and heat

Grass clippings and garden waste can be unsightly if left in a pile to decompose and create compost. Plus, those materials generate a lot of heat over time as they degrade. So, seek out one of these compost tumblers to gain control of the pile and heat, while preserving the environment in the process.

A compost tumbler helps mix and control decomposing organic materials, and it contains the heat those materials produce over time. If you’re in the market for a solid-performing compost tumbler, consider these leading models.

Recommended Videos

Envirocycle Mini Composting Tumbler

Best compost tumbler overall

Image used with permission by copyright holder

A compost tumbler doesn’t need to be large to be effective. The Envirocycle Mini Composting Tumbler not only is small, but it just might be among the top overall tumblers. Sporting an elegant design, yet as solid as a tank, the tumbler can produce solid or liquid compost.  It requires no assembly and can be used as a compost tea maker, as well.

Miracle-Gro Dual Chamber Compost Tumbler

Best dual chamber compost tumbler

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Two is always better than one, as the old adage goes. So, a dual-chamber compost tumbler is more productive than a single-chamber one, such as the Miracle-Gro Dual Chamber Compost Tumbler. It is a smart multiple-chamber choice, offering more composting capacity and yet in a small enough size to fit on a balcony, porch, patio, or rooftop garden. It also has tight seals designed to keep out unwanted pests.

Lifetime Compost Tumbler

Best large compost tumbler

Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re producing a lot of lawn clippings and garden waste, then you need a large compost tumbler. The Lifetime 60058 Compost Tumbler ranks high among the large-option crowd. It has an 80-gallon capacity and is produced from high-density polyethylene plastic and powder-coated steel. The tumbler can turn on its axis to provide a balanced rotation.

Keep your decomposing lawn clippings and garden waste under control with a compost tumbler. These tumblers are enticing options because they’re highly productive and protective, and provide an appearance that’s attractive enough for a patio or balcony.

The best perennial flowers that bloom all summer
best perennial flowers summer bloom pink lilac blue hydrangeas

One of the things we love most about summer is the flowers. Colorful, beautiful, and fragrant, a yard filled with flowers can be one of the great joys of any home gardener. If you’d rather spend more time enjoying the colors of your garden blooms and less time having to replant each and every year, it's time to get well acquainted with the world of perennials. 
Why perennials?
Perennials are plants that live more than two years, unlike annuals which live only a single season, and biennials which, as you can guess, live about two years. Plant a perennial and, barring some sort of gardening catastrophe, you are virtually guaranteed it will live for three seasons or more so you don't have to replant your garden at the change of every season. Some perennials can live for decades, and in the case of peonies, they very well could outlive you.

Sadly, the blooming season of many perennials is short — in the case of peonies, for example, it’s just seven to ten days. However, there is a wide variety of other perennials with more extensive blooming seasons that you can enjoy for weeks and months to come.

Read more
The best non-flower plants for a flower box
Steel English Hay Basket Window Planter

Flower boxes are a versatile and easy way to add color and greenery to your home. Whether hung on decks or porch rails, on fences, or window sills, flower boxes can provide a way for anyone to exhibit their green thumb capabilities—even apartment and condo dwellers with no yard of their own.
How to set up your flower box

Make sure that the window box you select will hold up to possible freezing and frost cycles.

Read more
How you can start composting today — and why you should
woman composting in kitchen

You don’t have to be a farmer to start composting. Composting is used by gardeners and average homeowners alike. It’s a great way to reduce waste and recycle old materials for a new purpose.
What is composting?
Composting uses vegetable matter or herbivore fecal matter to create microbe-rich soil and fertilizer for your garden. 

For the average gardener, composting is a great way to make your own fertilizer at home that provides nutrient-rich soil for your plants. Compost is typically made with the use of organic plant matter or vegetable scraps. However, grass-fed animal droppings are also a commonly used material for compost by many farmers.
What does composting do for the environment?
Composting is extremely beneficial for both personal gardens and the world at large. While the reasons are similar between the two, it’s important to understand your environmental impact. Composting is a great way to decrease your ecological footprint while also creating a product you can use in your garden.

Read more