My Home Composter » Compost Containers

Make Your Own Kitchen Compost Comtainer?

Home Composter — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:25:19 +0000

Make your own kitchen compost container? Are you kidding me? I am laughing out loud just thinking about it. Okay, if you mean using an old Yogurt container and storing it in the fridge. But when it comes to keeping rotting food in my kitchen, I think I will leave container design to the professionals. Although I maintain that composting is not super difficult, I do rely on products that others have designed and manufactured. I’m proud to show off my worm bins when I have company, but I don’t want my guests to know that I’m a home composter from the smell of my kitchen.

Make Your Own Kitchen Compost Comtainer? post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Kitchen Compost Container I keep talking about this, but haven’t decided what to...
Kitchen Composting Containers Since I have temporarily put buying the Naturemill automatic composter...
Bamboo Kitchen Compost Container Have you seen the Norpro bamboo kitchen compost container? I...
Update on the Kitchen Composting Container Well, we’re just not sure. so we’ve decided not to...
Naturemill Home Composter Back on My Radar Josh Dorfman just recommended the Naturemill Home Composter on...

Compost Pail

Home Composter — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:38:05 +0000

Adding your food waste to a compost pail as a part of your daily routine makes home composting a snap. Once a week add dump the pail into your home composter and before you know it, you’ll have nutrient-rich compost. It’s a great way to reduce the amount of trash you add to the landfill and the amount of water that you flush down the kitchen sink when using the garbage disposer.

Compost Pail post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Kitchen Composting Containers Since I have temporarily put buying the Naturemill automatic composter...
What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...
Composphere Compost Tumbler review This is just an unofficial Composphere Compost Tumbler review. I...
A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. ...
Replace Trash Stickers with a Home Composter As I am learning more about composting and looking for...

Bamboo Kitchen Compost Container

Home Composter — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:14:41 +0000

Have you seen the Norpro bamboo kitchen compost container? I don’t see any reviews on it yet, but it looks gorgeous. It has two charcoal filters, is made of natural sustainable bamboo and hopefully it will measure up to other Norpro kitchen compost containers that we have seen. I could definitely live with one of these on my kitchen countertop.

Bamboo Kitchen Compost Container post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Kitchen Compost Container I keep talking about this, but haven’t decided what to...
What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...
Kitchen Composting Containers Since I have temporarily put buying the Naturemill automatic composter...
No Kitchen Compost Crock Yet Although I really like the idea of using a kitchen...
Composter Reviews You can learn a lot from reading composter reviews. I...

Learning From My Worm Bins

Home Composter — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:33:43 +0000

This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe I should say I’ve been learning from my worms through trial and error (nah, let’s call it trial and improvement). I added the second worm bin to my Worm Factory 360 about five days ago with the intention of layering the “ingredients” in the tray a little differently than I did in the first tray. Each time I added food to my original tray, I was lifting up the shredded paper and placing the food below it. I added damp shredded paper on top when I added food, but seldom did I see worms crawling around in the three inches of shredded paper. Worm castings were building up and both food and paper wasted seemed to disappear, but I am so far happier with my layering system on my new tray. I started it with food waste in the bottom to attract worms to climb up from below. Then I added dry leaves and then about an inch or less of damp shredded paper. Now each time I add food waste, I add dry leaves if they are available and shredded paper. (Tip: I actually add dry shredded paper and then use the mist setting on my hose nozzle to dampen it.) The result is that many worms have climbed up and seem to be thriving in the new tray. I open the lid and see worms squirming around in the shredded paper and in the food waste below. I feel like I will be able to add food more often this way and have a better grip on how much the worms are eating.

It is strange, now that I have a second tray, to not be able to look below at the first tray and see how things are going. I could lift up the second tray, but am afraid I might squish a worm when I put it back down, so I’ll try to refrain!

Learning From My Worm Bins post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...
Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm...
A Test for the Worm Tray Up to this point, I’ve only added small amounts every...
Fruit Flies in the Worm Factory 360 There were more fruit flies in my Worm Factory 360...
My Worm Compost Container Has Worms! Yea! My worm compost container has worms!! My mail carrier...

The Worms are Moving Into the New Worm Tray

Home Composter — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:28:29 +0000

I can see that at least a few worms are moving into the new worm tray that I added two days ago in my Worm Factory 360. Out of curiosity, I lifted the tray up and saw quite a few Red Wigglers at the top of the lower tray, where I never saw them before. I assume they are also headed for the new tray and “fresh” food. The simplicity of the upward migration system of a unit like the Worm Factory 360 is great for someone like me, who does not really want to interact with the worms too much. Eventually, my lower tray will be full of worm castings and most of the worms will have moved up to another tray. When that happens, I’ll take the lower tray and put it on as the top tray and leave the lid off during one day of daylight to get any remaining worms to climb back down to the lower trays. At that point, I can easily harvest a tray full of worm castings. Hopefully, I’m on track to harvest the first tray at 3 months and then one tray a month after that.

The Worms are Moving Into the New Worm Tray post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm...
Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...
Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...
More Frogs in My Worm Bins Remember a few weeks ago when I had a couple...
Worm Compost Bin? If you weren’t familiar with the Worm Factory, would you...

Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360

Home Composter — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:32:04 +0000

Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm Factory 360. The first tray (now the bottom tray) is quite full with a mix of worm castings, food and paper waste and of course Red Wigglers. I’m not so sure I did the layering quite right on the first tray, but despite my inexperience, I think the worms are doing just fine. I’m paying very close attention to the instruction manual that came with the Worm Factory and in the new empty tray, I am adding a layer of food waste, followed by a layer of dead leaves and then damp paper and cardboard. My expectation is that some of the worms will climb up to the new tray and start working on it, while others will stay below until there is nothing left to eat. It will probably take a couple of months before they get all the way through the bottom tray. After that, I’m hoping for one tray per month full of worm castings.

Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...
Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...
The Worms are Moving Into the New Worm Tray I can see that at least a few worms are...
A Test for the Worm Tray Up to this point, I’ve only added small amounts every...
Fruit Flies in the Worm Factory 360 There were more fruit flies in my Worm Factory 360...

More Frogs in My Worm Bins

Home Composter — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:31:46 +0000

Remember a few weeks ago when I had a couple of little frogs in my worm bins? Well, I thought they were long gone, but yesterday, I decided to lift the bottom Worm Factory tray off to see if there was some reason that I haven’t gotten any leachate (worm tea) out of the spigot. Well besides the excitement of seeing a fair amount of worm castings, there was the surprise to both me and several tiny frogs who began jumping out of the tray to get as far from me as possible. I don’t know why they like the worm bins, but until I bothered them, they must have been living quite happily there… or maybe they had gotten in, but couldn’t get out. I don’t know, but after I removed all the worm castings, I looked around the porch and didn’t see a single frog. It’s not a big deal, since the bins are outside… and if the bins were inside the house, the frogs never would have gotten in.

More Frogs in My Worm Bins post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Frogs in My Worm Bin! I was concerned about geckos getting into my worm composter,...
The Worms are Moving Into the New Worm Tray I can see that at least a few worms are...
Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm...
Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...
Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...

Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray?

Home Composter — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:52:51 +0000

As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has really filled up, I’m starting to wonder when it will be time for another tray. I would guess that 1/3 to 1/2 of what is in the tray is worm castings and the rest is a combination of food waste and shredded paper… Lots of shredded paper. My guess is that I’ve overdone the shredded paper, the worms still look healthy and I’ve never had any bad odor, so I guess if you’re going to error, that’s the mistake you want to make. Although the tray is full now, when I open it in a few days, I know that it won’t be quite as full since the food is broken down and the water in it drains out. I think what I will do is add food three or four more times and then add my next tray.

The reason I’m anxious to get to the next tray is that I think I will know better how to do it. With the first tray, I kept lifting up the shredded paper and putting the food waste below it and then adding more paper on top. Now I realize that I would be better off layering it – each time putting in a layer of food and then adding shredded paper on top.

I know some of the worms will crawl up to get the new food in the new tray, but I feel fairly sure that enough will stay behind to eat what is left in the bottom tray. I’ll keep you posted!

Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm...
Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...
A Test for the Worm Tray Up to this point, I’ve only added small amounts every...
Fruit Flies in the Worm Factory 360 There were more fruit flies in my Worm Factory 360...
The Worms are Moving Into the New Worm Tray I can see that at least a few worms are...

Compost Bucket

Home Composter — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:42:17 +0000

This is the Compost Bucket they were using.

I mentioned that in the Home Composting Workshop that I attended yesterday, they were using a compost bucket in their break room. I asked the instructor if they had any problems with odors or fruit flies and she said they did not. The compost bucket they were using has a filter in the top and she said they haven’t changed it since they bought it two years ago. It’s one of the containers I had originally considered for my own kitchen and it may be in my future, but so far I’m getting by nicely with my large plastic storage container in the fridge.

This compost container comes in a 9.6 quart size or a 5.5 quart size. I think the small one would work well for me right beside the trash can in the pantry.

Compost Bucket post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Make Your Own Kitchen Compost Comtainer? Make your own kitchen compost container? Are you kidding me?...
Kitchen Compost Container I keep talking about this, but haven’t decided what to...
Home Composting Class Update I attended a Home Composting Class put on by the...
No Kitchen Compost Crock Yet Although I really like the idea of using a kitchen...
Worm Bin Composting Worm bin composting is much easier than I expected… at...

Urban Compost Tumbler

Home Composter — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:10:36 +0000

To me the term urban compost tumbler would indicate a compost tumbler that was suitable for a small indoor space or a small porch, deck or balcony. Otherwise, why use the term “urban” to describe it? That’s the definition that I’m using and so far, I haven’t really found anything that would qualify. The closest thing would be the Envirocycle Composter which is fairly small compared to most compost tumblers. It sits low and fits in a fairly small space (H 30.5 x W 25.5 x D 20.25). The only problem is that once it is full, you must wait several weeks for it to turn to compost before you can add more. That means that you either stop composting until it’s done, buy two Envirocycle Composters or else store your food waste until you can empty the composter.

That’s the reason I didn’t end up buying an urban compost tumbler. I wanted something small to which I could continually add food and paper waste and discovered that an upward migration worm bin system would fit my needs very well. You add food to the bottom tray until it is full and then put on another tray and start adding to it. The worms will leave the bottom tray when they are out of food, leaving behind nutrient-rich compost. You can pull that tray out and use the compost while the worms are happily working in the next tray. I haven’t needed a second tray yet, but the Worm Factory 360 that I am using fits my space and aesthetic needs perfectly and has required very little work on my part.

Another option that I originally thought might work for an urban composter is the Bokaski method. However it also needs to be filled up and then left alone for 10 days or so, leaving you in the same boat as the Envirocycle Composter. I also realized that Bokashi doesn’t complete the composting process, but requires being spread around on the ground to finish.

Of course the option that I am still considering is the Naturemill Composter. It requires a little bit of electricity as it is automatic, but otherwise seems like a great idea for an urban composter. It’s small, can be used in your kitchen and even works on meat and dairy. It’s fast and you can keep adding to it all the time and then empty the compost tray at the bottom when it’s ready. The biggest downside is that it’s pretty expensive. The reviews on the older models are mixed with then negative reviews usually reflecting problems issues with the hardware itself. I’m waiting to see how the reviews are for the newly released Naturemill Plus XE and Naturmill Pro XE.

I’ll continue my search for the best urban composter and maybe someday there will be something that qualifies for my definition of “urban compost tumbler”. For now, I’m happy with my choice of the Worm Factory 360 even though I never would have imagined having worms in my life. In truth, you barely know they are there.

photo credit: We-Present: Travel-UggBoy-The-Photographer!

Urban Compost Tumbler post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Envirocycle Composter Before I decided to buy the Worm Factory 360, I...
A Look at the Envirocycle Backyard Compost Tumbler One of the composters that I got to see during...
Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm...
Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...
Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...

All Seems Well in the Worm Bin

Home Composter — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:01:14 +0000

In spite of my uncertainty, all seems well in the worm bin. When I lift the shredded paper to see if the food I’ve previously put in is being transformed, I am seeing a little bit of food, quite a few wriggly worms and lots of worm castings. Yeah! I can’t wait to add a new tray, but patience is important.

All Seems Well in the Worm Bin post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

A Test for the Worm Tray Up to this point, I’ve only added small amounts every...
What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...
A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. ...
Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm...
The Worms are Moving Into the New Worm Tray I can see that at least a few worms are...

Fruit Flies in the Worm Factory 360

Home Composter — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:30:31 +0000

There were more fruit flies in my Worm Factory 360 yesterday afternoon than there had been before. Previously, there had only been a couple and I wondered if the increase was because I had added a bunch of food the day before, so I went to the Internet to do a little research. After reading this article on eHow.com, I am guessing that these new tenants in the Worm Factory are probably the offspring of the “couple” I had noticed before. Fruit flies reproduce rapidly and in large quantities if there is enough food to sustain them, so it seems likely that my worm bin could become a thriving metropolis for fruit flies. Hmmm. I’m not so sure that I want that.

It’s not like they are swarming all over the house. I really didn’t notice them until I took the lid off to add more paper. But when I did, I was a little uncomfortable with the small swarm. So what can I do to reduce the number of fruit flies (or maybe they’re vinegar flies)…

The first thing I’ve learned is that the more decomposing food that is in there, the more eggs the fruit flies will lay. Therefore, I don’t want food sitting around for days before the worms get to it. This seems to conflict with what I was thinking about adding food waste only once or twice a week. Although I will pay more attention to how much food is left in the bin before adding more, I don’t think I will be feeding them on a daily basis and I don’t think that is even recommended.
I remember reading somewhere that several inches of shredded paper on top of the bin will discourage fruit flies and I had done that, but as I have added food and the worms have eaten paper, there were places in the tray that didn’t have 2-3 inches of shredded paper and a couple of the corners were without any shredded paper covering. So I added a more shredded paper and made sure to cover everything.
I haven’t tried this yet, but may consider this suggestion that is in the Worm Factory Instruction Manual. Fill an empty working tray with dry shredded paper or dry leaves and put it on top of the working tray. It’s supposed to at least keep the fruit flies inside the Worm Factory.
The instruction manual also suggests that nematodes (roundworms)
which are available at many garden centers are excellent for controlling fruit flies.
Fruit Fly traps – if the shredded paper doesn’t work and I am unhappy with the fruit flies, I might try a live trap and then release them in my community’s garbage dumpster. There a bunch of traps on this Wikihow.com page if you are interested.

I have total confidence that this will not be a big problem, if a problem at all. I just wanted to get a jump on it and make sure that my family never notices the fruit flies around my home composter!

Fruit Flies in the Worm Factory 360 post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm...
Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...
Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...
A Test for the Worm Tray Up to this point, I’ve only added small amounts every...
Worm Composters Q & A New worm composters will certainly have some concerns about how...

A Test for the Worm Tray

Home Composter — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:13:48 +0000

Up to this point, I’ve only added small amounts every few days to my new Worm Factory 360. So today (and this week) will be a test for the worm tray, as I added probably five or six handfuls of food to the tray. Of course, my hands are pretty small, but still it’s the largest offering so far. Since things have been going so well, one might ask why I would change anything…. The answer is that I want to get the most out of it and encourage that original one pound of worms to reproduce so I can add even more food and paper waste. Some stuff is still going into the trash can and garbage disposal. I guess the only way to find out how much is too much, is by testing it. I assume that it will start to smell bad in a few days if there is too much food waste in it. I may also add some more shredded paper tomorrow as I think that getting the balance of carbon (browns) and nitrogen (greens) right is also extremely important. Besides, it turns out we have more paper waste than food waste in this house and I am hoping the worms will eventually be able to keep up with all of our junk mail as well as food waste.

A Test for the Worm Tray post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...
Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...
The Worms are Moving Into the New Worm Tray I can see that at least a few worms are...
Fruit Flies in the Worm Factory 360 There were more fruit flies in my Worm Factory 360...
Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm...

Frogs in My Worm Bin!

Home Composter — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:10:02 +0000

I was concerned about geckos getting into my worm composter, but that hasn’t been a problem. However there are frogs in my worm bin! They are very small and cute, not to mention quick and jumpy. I saw one yesterday and thought it jumped in while I was feeding the worms and I thought it jumped back out before I covered the bin. Today when I opened it up, a frog jumped out and I was able to catch it and put it in the back yard. When I returned to the compost bin and lifted shredded paper from another corner, out jumps another frog of similar size. I never located it after it jumped. I lifted more paper and didn’t see any others, so we’ll see what happens the next time I’m in there. It’s hard to figure out how they would get in the Worm Factory design, except for when it’s open and that is possible, but it is hardly ever open, so I’m not really sure. I will let you know if there are any more frog issues in the future.
photo credit: Shandchem

Frogs in My Worm Bin! post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

More Frogs in My Worm Bins Remember a few weeks ago when I had a couple...
Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...
Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...
Buying Red Wigglers for the Worm Bins I had to take a deep breath once I realized...
Fruit Flies in the Worm Factory 360 There were more fruit flies in my Worm Factory 360...

Best Composting Worms

Home Composter — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:18:53 +0000

I read about someone whose worms were escaping from the compost bin and my first thought was that they were not using the best composting worms. Red Wigglers are the mentioned in just about every article on worm composting as the best worms for getting the job done. They like it dark, so during the day, they are going to want to stay not only in the bin, but usually buried in whatever is in it. Some other worms are accustomed to light, so they may feel free to leave. Red Wigglers also have an ideal digestive system for composting.

Some people have had problems even with Red Wigglers escaping in the first week or so after they have been shipped to them, but they do settle down quickly. I had mine shipped from a nearby city and thus a short time in transit, but none of them tried to escape.

Best Composting Worms post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Buying Red Wigglers for the Worm Bins I had to take a deep breath once I realized...
What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...
My Worm Compost Container Has Worms! Yea! My worm compost container has worms!! My mail carrier...
The Worms are Moving Into the New Worm Tray I can see that at least a few worms are...
My Worm Factory 360 Has Arrived! The UPS driver delivered my Worm Factory 360 around 5:30...

Update on the Geckos and the Worms Composter

Home Composter — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:11:00 +0000

The geckos are still running around on the porch, but seem to have no interest in the worms or composter. Maybe they just cannot get inside the Worm Factory 360, but either way, all is well. Since I asked the question in a previous post, I thought I better deliver the answer when I found out for sure.

Update on the Geckos and the Worms Composter post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. ...
What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...
Kitchen Composting Containers Since I have temporarily put buying the Naturemill automatic composter...
Composter Reviews You can learn a lot from reading composter reviews. I...
Best Composting Worms I read about someone whose worms were escaping from the...

Worm Bin Composting

Home Composter — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:06:39 +0000

Worm bin composting is much easier than I expected… at least so far. I can clearly see worm castings (nutrient-rich compost) in my Worm Factory 360, where there was once food and coir. As I’ve mentioned before, composting with worms was not what I had in mind when I set out to become a home composter, but after doing the research it seemed like the way to go for my limited space.

For me, here is what stands out about the ease of having a worm composter:

The initial set-up takes 20 minutes max. The Worm Factory 360 came with instructions and just about everything necessary for getting started.
When the worms arrived, I dumped them into my prepared composter, covered them with shredded newspaper and then a couple of sheets of newspaper and closed the lid.
You don’t have to feed the worms very often – once a week will work nicely, but they can go up to a month as long as you leave them enough food. I wouldn’t do this early in the process, but later when everything is humming along.
With all the shredded newspaper on top, there really is no “gross” factor. Even when I lift it to check things out or add more food, it’s not a big deal.
Even though I haven’t been sure that I’m doing things correctly, there are no bad smells coming from the bin.
There is no evidence that I even have worm bins, unless you recognize the Worm Factory. It looks like a small table on my porch.
Although the temperatures were over 90 degrees when I started and I’m not totally sure what “too wet” or “too dry” would mean, the worms seem to be alive and eating. And I repeat, no bad odors.
Best of all… THERE IS COMPOST WHERE THERE ONCE WAS FOOD!

Most of the time I’m spending on my worm composting is just because I’m curious or concerned about what’s going on in there. I do spend an extra few minutes cutting any large pieces of food waste into smaller pieces, but you don’t even have to do that. Of course I had to change a few habits with regard to shredding paper (no more plastic envelope windows) and handling food waste (in now goes into the Rubbermaid container), but neither take any extra time. One thing that does take a little time is wetting the shredded paper, ringing it out and separating it to put in the bin. It doesn’t take that long, but I”m thinking of putting it in dry next time and giving it a quick spray with the shower nozzle of my hose next time. I know I will get a feel for the amount of moisture or dry material that I need to add as well as when it needs carbons or nitrogens, but so far, this is nothing bad has happened even with my inexperience.

Worm Bin Composting post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

My Worm Compost Container Has Worms! Yea! My worm compost container has worms!! My mail carrier...
Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...
Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...
Worm Compost Bin? If you weren’t familiar with the Worm Factory, would you...
Fruit Flies in the Worm Factory 360 There were more fruit flies in my Worm Factory 360...

Free Compost Container

Home Composter — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:16:31 +0000

Before buying or building a composter, check with your local government to see if they offer a free compost container to residents. Many cities and counties have realized that there are financial benefits to getting their residents to compost and offer free or discounted compost bins to encourage participation. Free Compost Container post from: My Home [...]

Free Compost Container post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. ...
What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...
Kitchen Composting Containers Since I have temporarily put buying the Naturemill automatic composter...
Composter Reviews You can learn a lot from reading composter reviews. I...
Home Composter News on September 17, 2009 At the Barth home, composting happens – Liberty Tribune...

No Kitchen Compost Crock Yet

Home Composter — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:26:43 +0000

Kitchen Compost Crock

Although I really like the idea of using a kitchen compost crock like this Norpro Countertop Keeper, we are limited on counter space, so we’ve been using our Rubbermaid leftover container as our kitchen compost bin. So long as there is room, it will stay in the fridge, but at some point, I imagine we’ll have a problem with space in there too. I don’t really think it would stink even if we left put it under the counter because the seal is so tight. I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

No Kitchen Compost Crock Yet post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Kitchen Compost Container I keep talking about this, but haven’t decided what to...
Kitchen Composting Containers Since I have temporarily put buying the Naturemill automatic composter...
Looking for a Small Compost Container One thing I know for sure is that I am...
Make Your Own Kitchen Compost Comtainer? Make your own kitchen compost container? Are you kidding me?...
A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. ...

Worm Compost Bin?

Home Composter — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:51:26 +0000

If you weren’t familiar with the Worm Factory, would you really think this was a worm compost bin? Okay, it may not be the best looking piece of patio furniture, but tucked in a corner, it’s not bad. I’ve put the three bins that I am not yet using upside down on top of the Worm Factory 360 (per its design), but you could put them away and reduce the height by several inches if you wanted.

After three days, I can also say that there is no odor or noise coming from the bins! I think there is something going on in there, but as a newbie, I don’t know for sure that everything is as it should be. When I rake the pile a little, I see a few worms moving around, but not too many crawling around in the food waste. I know they came packed in something that could either be worm castings or else something they will surely eat. There was also the coir that came with the Worm Factory and I believe they will eat that, plus there is a lot of shredded newspaper in there. So I don’t know really know if or what they are eating at the moment, but am hoping that we’re on the right track.

Worm Compost Bin? post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

More Frogs in My Worm Bins Remember a few weeks ago when I had a couple...
Worm Bin Composting Worm bin composting is much easier than I expected… at...
Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm...
Worm Composters Q & A New worm composters will certainly have some concerns about how...
Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...

My Worm Compost Container Has Worms!

Home Composter — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:11:49 +0000

Yea! My worm compost container has worms!! My mail carrier was grateful to find me home this afternoon when he arrived with one pound of “Live Worms”. It was an extremely hot day for October, even for Florida, and he didn’t want to leave them sitting out, but he didn’t really want to take them back on a Saturday and let them sit until Monday. I know these 90+ degree days are not the best for Red Wigglers, but these worms were raised in Florida, so I’m hoping they are used to it.

I didn’t have my camera available to record any part of the process, but it was remarkably simple. I had followed the instructions included with my Worm Factory360 and had the worm container ready, with the damp coir mixed with the shredded newspaper and a couple of handfuls of food waste in one corner. I emptied the bag of worms and the “stuff” they were packed in (peat moss or dirt?) into the tray and used the Worm Factory rake to spread them out a bit. They seemed very active and burrowed right down. After watching for a bit, I covered them with dry shredded newspaper and then covered that with damp sheets of newspaper and then the lid. Now I am supposed to check back in three days. (Of course that didn’t stop me from showing the family when they arrived home.)

I did put a fan on the porch for a little while during the heat of the day and tonight I have left the porch light on so that they will be encouraged to bury themselves in the food I guess. I’ll try not to look at them for a few days, but it will be hard. I know the novelty will wear off before I know it, but so far this is sort of fun.

My Worm Compost Container Has Worms! post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Worm Bin Composting Worm bin composting is much easier than I expected… at...
Learning From My Worm Bins This week, I’ve been learning from my worm bins. Maybe...
Fruit Flies in the Worm Factory 360 There were more fruit flies in my Worm Factory 360...
Worm Composters Q & A New worm composters will certainly have some concerns about how...
A Test for the Worm Tray Up to this point, I’ve only added small amounts every...

Build Your Own Worm Compost Bin For Less $

Home Composter — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:23:45 +0000

If you don’t want to spend much on composting, you can build your own worm compost bin using a couple of plastic storage boxes. Here is Washington State University’s instructions for a cheap and easy worm bin. I didn’t go this route for two reasons. The first is that my composter will be in plain sight on my small back porch and I think the Worm Factory 360 almost looks like a matching side table. The second, whether based in reality or not, is that I feel like having a commercially made product designed specifically for the purpose of composting worms, will increase my chances of success. photo credit: kafka4prez

Build Your Own Worm Compost Bin For Less $ post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. ...
Best Composting Worms I read about someone whose worms were escaping from the...
Worm Bin Composting Worm bin composting is much easier than I expected… at...
Make Your Own Kitchen Compost Comtainer? Make your own kitchen compost container? Are you kidding me?...
Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...

My Worm Factory 360 Has Arrived!

Home Composter — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:04:22 +0000

The UPS driver delivered my Worm Factory 360 around 5:30 this afternoon! I have a fairly large Tupperware container full of food scraps waiting patiently in my refrigerator, newspaper and cereal boxes tucked behind a table and a space cleared on my porch. Only thing missing are my Red Wigglers. Not to worry, the worms will be here in the next day or two. Tonight I’ll read the instructions and put the Worm Factory together so I will be ready when they arrive.

My Worm Factory 360 Has Arrived! post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

My Worm Compost Container Has Worms! Yea! My worm compost container has worms!! My mail carrier...
Buying Red Wigglers for the Worm Bins I had to take a deep breath once I realized...
Best Composting Worms I read about someone whose worms were escaping from the...
Update on the Geckos and the Worms Composter The geckos are still running around on the porch, but...
Adding a Worm Tray to My Worm Factory 360 Today I am adding a worm tray to my Worm...

Update on the Kitchen Composting Container

Home Composter — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:46:22 +0000

Well, we’re just not sure. so we’ve decided not to purchase a kitchen composting container just yet. I think we will find that we want something in the kitchen, but the vote here is to wait and see if it’s not just as easy to carry any food and paper waste straight out to the back porch and put it in the Worm Factory. I’ll let you know when we change our minds!

Update on the Kitchen Composting Container post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Kitchen Composting Containers Since I have temporarily put buying the Naturemill automatic composter...
What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...
Kitchen Compost Container I keep talking about this, but haven’t decided what to...
Composter Reviews You can learn a lot from reading composter reviews. I...
A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. ...

Kitchen Compost Container

Home Composter — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:32:48 +0000

How will a kitchen compost container look on my countertop?

I keep talking about this, but haven’t decided what to do about a kitchen compost container to throw food into before taking it out to the worms. Since the Worm Factory is arriving on Wednesday, I decided I maybe needed to start saving some food waste so that I would have something to feed the worms when they get here. Chances are I won’t need that much, but I was cutting up veggies for the crock pot and decided to put the scraps in a container and put it in the fridge for a few days. I know I won’t always have room in the refrigerator, so I still need to come up with a solution that will work for me and the rest of my household. That means it either needs to be hidden or it needs to be attractive. I guess I don’t really care which way we go, so I’ll sit down with the family tonight to discuss our options.

Kitchen Compost Container post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Make Your Own Kitchen Compost Comtainer? Make your own kitchen compost container? Are you kidding me?...
Worm Factory 360 – Time for Another Tray? As the worm tray in my Worm Factory 360 has...
Update on the Kitchen Composting Container Well, we’re just not sure. so we’ve decided not to...
Looking for a Small Compost Container One thing I know for sure is that I am...
No Kitchen Compost Crock Yet Although I really like the idea of using a kitchen...

Buying Red Wigglers for the Worm Bins

Home Composter — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:05:26 +0000

Buy Red Wigglers!

I had to take a deep breath once I realized that I had ordered my Worm Factory 360 and that meant that I would soon need to have worms available to make the thing work! According to the instructions that I read online, I’ll be buying Red Wigglers for the worm bins. They are available for ordering online, but I thought I might also check to see if I could find them locally. It took a little hunting, but I found someone on Craigslist who has them for $20/lb. I’ll plan to pick them up on Wednesday, which is the same day that my Worm Factory is scheduled to arrive. Hmmm…. Maybe I should wait until it arrives before I pick them up. Yep, that’s the plan!

Buying Red Wigglers for the Worm Bins post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

My Worm Factory 360 Has Arrived! The UPS driver delivered my Worm Factory 360 around 5:30...
More Frogs in My Worm Bins Remember a few weeks ago when I had a couple...
Worm Compost Bin? If you weren’t familiar with the Worm Factory, would you...
Best Composting Worms I read about someone whose worms were escaping from the...
What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...

The Best Composter for Me

Home Composter — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:55:08 +0000

Well, I’ve finally done it! After several months of thinking about it, today I ordered the Worm Factory 360. When I started this search for a composter that would be small enough, simple enough and odor-free enough for my small townhouse, I would never have guessed I would end up with worm bins. But after doing the research, it seems like it will be the best composter for me and I’ll definitely keep you updated on how it works out.

The Best Composter for Me post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Buying Red Wigglers for the Worm Bins I had to take a deep breath once I realized...
Worm Bin Composting Worm bin composting is much easier than I expected… at...
Make Your Own Kitchen Compost Comtainer? Make your own kitchen compost container? Are you kidding me?...
Worm Compost Bin? If you weren’t familiar with the Worm Factory, would you...
A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. ...

Geckos and Worm Containers

Home Composter — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:47:51 +0000

I’ve been searching the Internet trying to find out if anyone has problems with geckos getting into their worm containers. I think this is my last question before I place the order for my worm composter. There are lizards on my porch all the time, and I know they are always looking for a good place to hide. I would hate for them to think the Worm Factory was a great new restaurant. I haven’t found anyone complaining of this, so it probably is not a problem… but someone did mention feeding red wigglers to a pet gecko, so that renewed my concern. Surely he was joking. Someone else suggested that I could put a screen over the holes if it’s a problem and I will do that if necessary, but wanted to throw this question out one last time.

photo credit: Sarah Camp

Geckos and Worm Containers post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Update on the Geckos and the Worms Composter The geckos are still running around on the porch, but...
Frogs in My Worm Bin! I was concerned about geckos getting into my worm composter,...
Buying Red Wigglers for the Worm Bins I had to take a deep breath once I realized...
Me with a Worm Composting Container The last type of home composter that I would...
Best Composting Worms I read about someone whose worms were escaping from the...

Me with a Worm Composting Container

Home Composter — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:56:06 +0000

The last type of home composter that I would have ever guessed I would end up with as my first composter would have been a worm bin. Worms give me the ‘willies’. I can’t really explain why… maybe it has to do with their resemblance to small snakes… or maybe it has to do with them covering the driveway after a heavy rain. I especially don’t like squished worms. So why is it that I am about to purchase a worm composting container?

Well, I am determined to reduce my contribution to the local landfill and composting is where I will begin. The only problem with that is that I have very limited space and need something small enough to fit on my very small porch. The only composters that I can find that are small enough seem to be these stackable worm farms where the worms start eating your scraps at the bottom and work their way up, leaving their castings below. There are at least three varieties that will fit nicely in the space that I have, so I’ve been doing my homework and have decided this is the way to go.

So after making my decision and then putting in my order , I’ll have to start getting mentally prepared for the worms to arrive. I’m the type of person who carries spiders outside rather than stepping on them. I get along well with most animal life, although am wary of the alligator who lives in the lake behind my townhouse and the black snake who slithers by my front door on occasion. I’m sure I’ll come to like the worms and will surely admire their work!

photo credit: Cliff Beckwith

Me with a Worm Composting Container post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Worm Bin Composting Worm bin composting is much easier than I expected… at...
Indoor Composter An indoor composter solves several common problems for many...
Kitchen Compost Container I keep talking about this, but haven’t decided what to...
What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...
Worm Composters Q & A New worm composters will certainly have some concerns about how...

Kitchen Composting Containers

Home Composter — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:06:52 +0000

Since I have temporarily put buying the Naturemill automatic composter on hold, I’m going to start looking at kitchen composting containers. Even though it’s only 50 feet from my kitchen sink to the spot where I think I will put my composter, I think I will get better family participation if I have something really handy. Most of the ones I’ve seen so far seem fairly inexpensive. I’ll post an update when I’ve decided.

Kitchen Composting Containers post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...
A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. ...
Composter Reviews You can learn a lot from reading composter reviews. I...
Indoor Compost Containers I’m sure there are many like me who want to...
Kitchen Compost Container I keep talking about this, but haven’t decided what to...

Looking for a Small Compost Container

Home Composter — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:34:31 +0000

One thing I know for sure is that I am looking for a small compost container. I was outside my townhouse this morning looking at space and I’m not sure I really have a good outdoor spot for it. That means something that fits on my porch or in my kitchen. Naturemill is the only product I will consider for my kitchen and I think I would like to have one some day. However, considering the cost, I’ll probably wait a little while before I make that investment. So that leaves only my very small porch. I’m not positive, but a worm bin may actually be the best option for this space. I guess I need to measure my space and narrow down my choices accordingly.
photo credit: {eclaire}

Looking for a Small Compost Container post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Kitchen Compost Container I keep talking about this, but haven’t decided what to...
No Kitchen Compost Crock Yet Although I really like the idea of using a kitchen...
Me with a Worm Composting Container The last type of home composter that I would...
Bamboo Kitchen Compost Container Have you seen the Norpro bamboo kitchen compost container? I...
Update on the Kitchen Composting Container Well, we’re just not sure. so we’ve decided not to...

Choosing My Home Compost Container

Home Composter — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:21:04 +0000

Well, here I am in the very early stages of becoming a home composter. It’s starting to look like their may not be a clear cut “perfect choice” for a home compost container for me.

The NatureMill composters look perfect at first glance. I could keep it in my kitchen – there wouldn’t be any smell and compost would be ready in 2-3 weeks if it works as advertised. It takes care of getting the temperature right and tumbles itself. It does take a small amount of electricity, but still the savings in trashbag waste would surely still make it an environmental winner. Although the reviews I have found on these composters are more positive than negative, there are enough problems to make me consider some other alternatives, especially since it’s a fairly pricey product.

I haven’t ruled out the Naturemill, but will investigate tumblers and worm bins next. I am anxious to get started, but will take the time I need now to come to the best decision possible.

Choosing My Home Compost Container post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

Urban Compost Tumbler To me the term urban compost tumbler would indicate a...
Indoor Composter An indoor composter solves several common problems for many...
Naturemill Home Composter Back on My Radar Josh Dorfman just recommended the Naturemill Home Composter on...
Looking for a Small Compost Container One thing I know for sure is that I am...
A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. ...

Indoor Compost Containers

Home Composter — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:10:40 +0000

I’m sure there are many like me who want to compost because it seems a good choice for the environment, not so much because we want fresh compost. I’m thrilled that there will be the benefit of having nutrient-rich compost for my garden, but that certainly isn’t my main goal. It hasn’t taken me long to discover just from reading, that composting doesn’t always go smoothly, particularly at the beginning. I’m going to be looking for ways to make this as simple as possible and will be reporting everything I learn on this blog.

I plan to learn as much as I can about all types of home composting, but will likely start my research in a direction that seems to fit my current lifestyle. I live in a small townhouse with a roommate who will be supportive and participate only if it is easy and doesn’t produce any inconveniences (that includes bad smells). I do have a small garden and could keep a composter outside, but will first look into indoor compost containers. My preference would be something that I could keep either in my kitchen or on my lanai (screened-in porch for those up north). I hope to compost food waste as well as clippings from my garden and even paper and cardboard if possible.

Indoor Compost Containers post from: My Home Composter where you can learn how to make compost, read about pros and cons of various compost containers and discuss experiences in home composting.

Related Home Composter entries:<

What is Composting? My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because...
Indoor Composter An indoor composter solves several common problems for many...
Home Composting Class Update I attended a Home Composting Class put on by the...
Home Composter News on September 17, 2009 At the Barth home, composting happens – Liberty Tribune...
Composter Reviews You can learn a lot from reading composter reviews. I...