Your turn to help me –
It’s true, I still don’t compost.
I outline my quandary in detail in my latest FilterForGood post, but basically, the problem is that composting sans a plot of ground to call your own is difficult and unsatisfactory, due to either logistics and cost.
The worm composter appears to be my best option — you can read the FilterForGood post to see how I got to this conclusion — but apparently the wrigglers won’t eat about 3/4 of the vegan organic material I was hoping to compost. I’m still also afraid of killing them by simply deciding to go out of town for a bit.
So I ask you — Should I get a worm composter? Convince me –
Update, 5/21/09: Mission composting delayed until 7/1
Are you worried about citrus and such?
I put in everything, and just make sure that I’m not putting in more than 1/4 citrus products.
The only thing that goes in the trash these days is styrofoam (when I eat out) and meat, on that rare change I eat meat.
Also, I built my compost with two Rubbermaid bins and some good worms (don’t cheap out, I did and they died) They live in a outside closet and are pretty happy. You don’t have to spend hundred on a vermicompost system.
They used to live inside, but then I had fruit flies all over the place. All the ACV in the world wouldn’t have kept those buggers away.
Kim’s last blog post..random beauty: “let’s explore!”
Comment by Kim — April 28, 2009 @ 4:43 pm
Siel~ By all means get a worm composter! I am in charge of our class’s worm bins, and they are going great. And, if you leave for a week or so, just give them a bit more to eat. You would be surprised how much the CA Red Wigglers can eat! Also, its hard to kill a worm. If a few die, no worries!
Where will you be keeping your worm bin system if you get one? Also, out of curiosity, what vegan food can worms not eat?
There is a really nice worm bin system that our class got off of amazon and its made out of recycled plastic bottles. It was like $100, but like Kim said, you can easily use a Rubbermaid bin…
Comment by Sevahn — April 28, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
Siel,
You can get a Wriggly Wranch compact worm compost bin for under $30 from Santa Monica if you are a resident. Here’s the contact info.
Pick-up Location:
Solid Waste Management Division Map
2500 Michigan Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (310) 458-2223
E-mail: solid.waste@smgov.net
I keep mine on my apartment balcony with no problems. Cut up the banana peels (and everything else you feed them) into approx 1 inch pieces and the worms will “eat” it all. The worms will eat your balcony leaves–and citrus in small amounts. Once you take the leap, you’ll realize how easy and satisfying it is to have a worm compost bin. I’m happy to give you some worms to get started. Worms are also available at the Main St farmer’s market in Santa Monica on Sundays.
Comment by April — April 29, 2009 @ 9:11 am
Hey Siel–
I think you should go for the wormies, I’m still leaning that way myself. I wrote about the ways to compost indoors awhile back (http://tinychoices.com/2008/01/24/four-ways-to-compost-indoors/) and agree with you about the problem of Bokashi needing a curing period. Also was thinking about a Naturemill but the ridiculous number of negative comments on my post (http://tinychoices.com/2008/06/05/naturemill-indoor-composter-all-that/) makes me seriously wonder if they’ve still got design kinks to iron out before I invest in it.
Jenn (TinyChoices.com)’s last blog post..Shower Curtain Shame
Comment by Jenn (TinyChoices.com) — April 29, 2009 @ 11:32 am
Do it – I have both and I don’t have any “land” at all- although I have claimed the walkway behind my condo for a garden.
Most of the info I would give is already listed above so I won’t repeat.
I would add that I never have fruit flies no matter what I put in my bin for this reason.
- I save all unbleached paper towels and napkins (including when I go out) and just layer the on top of the food that I put in the bin, newspaper works also but I don’t get the paper so I don’t often have that. If it’s to dry I wet it down- that’s it – no flies!
Also I’m vegan and I put everything in my bin EXCEPT PINEAPPLE — ****NO PINEAPPLE*****
IT WILL KILL YOUR WORMS-
what were you told you can’t put in?
Here are my bins – Compost and worm
http://bit.ly/zLDX
Comment by Bky — April 29, 2009 @ 2:23 pm
Sevahn and Bky — The main things I worried were not worm-friendly were citrus peels, banana peels, and tree leaves / twigs. It now appears wormies will masticate all those things — but in small quantities and only if cut up into lil bits. True?
Luckily I don’t eat much pineapple — too much trouble to cut up — They’re pokey!
April — I thought Santa Monica only had Biostack composters. Do they really offer a variety? If so I may really hit you up for some worms.
I am v. impressed about just having worms in rubbermaid bins, but I think I’m gonna have to go with a wormie-specific product to reduce the possibility of my messing things up.
Comment by Siel — April 29, 2009 @ 3:11 pm