My Home Composter

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.

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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.

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How To Make a Backyard Compost Tumbler

Home Composter — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:54:47 +0000

If you are looking for plans for how to make your own backyard compost tumbler without spending a lot of money, check out this video that was posted on YouTube.com. It’s not as small as the Envirocycle Compost Tumbler, but not much larger than the pickle barrel that is used to make it and if you can get someone to paint something clever or attractive on the barrel, it would probably add an element of interest to your backyard. If you find more than one pickle barrel, you can use the second one as a rain barrel! Often you can find barrels for around $10 from drum and barrel suppliers.

How To Make a Backyard 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.

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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.

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Indoor Composter

Home Composter — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:35:36 +0000

An indoor composter solves several common problems for many home composters. For one thing, winter is not conducive to composting. Cold temperatures and snow don’t do much for a hot composting heap and who wants to haul waste out into the cold anyway. An indoor composter also adds a convenience to composting that encourages less enthusiastic family members to participate. “If it’s easy, I’ll do it!” For apartment and urban composters, an indoor composter may be the only option, as many have little or no outdoor space. Fortunately, there are several options for indoor composting, including worm bins, Naturemill’s Automatic Composter and for those with basement space, one or two Envirocycle Compost Tumblers might work very well. The All Seasons Bokashi method does require finishing in the ground, so it’s not going to work for everyone, but some people love it.

Indoor 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.

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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.

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Home Composter News on December 2, 2009

Home Composter — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:05:45 +0000

Cutting down waste over Christmas

December 2, 2009
- During the holidays more than ever, we tend to overdo everything from food to gifts and wrapping paper. This article is a good reminder to reduce, reuse and recycle during the holidays.

From the Table to the Trash – WDIO-TV

December 2, 2009
- One good way to reduce food waste over the holidays is to prepare the right amount of food in the first place. Sure it’s okay to have leftovers if you’re likely to eat them, but try not to fix so much that you end up filling the home composter when the food has gone bad.

Home Composter News on December 2, 2009 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.

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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.

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My Home Composter Favorites

Home Composter — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:29:21 +0000

My Home Composter Favorites 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 Home Composter Favorites 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Composter Reviews

Home Composter — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:07:43 +0000

You can learn a lot from reading composter reviews. I probably learned 1/4 of what I know about composting from the reviews I read when researching which composter to buy. Today I was looking at a review of the old model Worm Factory and read that someone gets a quart of leachate out of it every couple of weeks. I have yet to get a drop. I don’t feel like my bedding is too dry, but I will be looking into this further to see if I’m doing anything wrong.

Composter Reviews 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.

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Compost Aerator

Home Composter — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:57:11 +0000

Compost Aerator

The only gadget that I learned about at the home composting workshop I attended was the compost aerator. If you have a compost bin rather than a worm bin, you can use it to turn the compost. You stick it straight in like a spear and when you start to pull it out, it’s wings open up creating air passages. It seems that it might require less effort than turning it with a pitch fork. Either one will work, but for some people, this might be the way to go. The reviews on Amazon are pretty good.

Compost Aerator 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.

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Composphere Compost Tumbler review

Home Composter — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:34:27 +0000

This is just an unofficial Composphere Compost Tumbler review. I saw one of these at my composting class and decided to give try rolling it, which is what you’re supposed to do to aerate the contents. First of all, it wasn’t easy to roll even though there wasn’t supposed to be that much in it. When I did get it to roll, water started pouring out of the holes in it. For me those two points, difficult to roll or tumble and fills with water when it rains would be deal breakers. I don’t know if others feel the same, but my instructor really didn’t like the fact that so much water was inside it. I’m open to having my mind changed if anyone has some good experiences to share.

Composphere Compost Tumbler review 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.

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A Look at the Envirocycle Backyard Compost Tumbler

Home Composter — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:19:29 +0000

Envirocycle Backyard Compost Tumbler

One of the composters that I got to see during the Home Composting Workshop was the Envirocycle Backyard Compost Tumbler. It made me laugh when I realized my perception of its shape had been distorted by my wide-screen monitor which makes everything look wide. Other than that, it was as I expected – small enough to have on my porch, although bigger and more obvious than the Worm Factory 360. It turned easily, but there wasn’t much in it and it seemed that it would do the job of keeping critters out. I could definitely see using this if I had room for two composters on my porch or in my backyard. Maybe at my next house!

A Look at the Envirocycle Backyard 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.

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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.

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Home Composting Class Update

Home Composter — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:57:46 +0000

I attended a Home Composting Class put on by the U. of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences through our county’s Extension Service. I was happy to discover that I was familiar with most of the material covered since I started composting at home about one month ago. I had tried to do my research and am glad to know that you can actually find a great deal of factual information on the Internet.

This is similar to the bin I received in my Home Composting Class

I did get a few of my questions answered and really enjoyed seeing the different types of composters that they had on site. It was also very impressive to see the amount of nutrient-rich humus (created from compost) that they had generated at their small office. In the kitchen, they kept a compost bucket that employees used for coffee grounds and fruit and veggie scraps. I don’t know how big their outdoor space actually is, but their gardeners contribute lawn and garden waste. As a result, they have six or eight very large compost bins filled with humus. They also have several compost bins that are “in progress”.

If you haven’t started composting yet, this is a great way to get started. They even provided the compost bin included in the $15 price of the class. They say that the price is only to cover the compost bin, so if you don’t need one, it might be worth asking if you can come to class for free.

Even if you’ve already been composting for awhile, you will probably learn something and it is nice to meet others who share your interest in composting.

I’ll continue to share specific things that I learned in class in upcoming posts.

Home Composting Class Update 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.

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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.

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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.

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Composting Shredded Junk Mail

Home Composter — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:41:42 +0000

My worms seem to be doing a pretty good job composting shredded junk mail and it’s the main “brown” ingredient that I feed them. Since there are no bad smells coming from my Worm Factory 360, I assume all is well. What is amazing is how much paper there is in my life. I recycle what the worms can’t eat, but I’m becoming painfully aware of the need to REDUCE. In my printer I use the back side of previously used paper whenever I can, but still there is all of this paper on my desk, much of which I end up recycling. In the next few months, I’ll be making an effort to reduce the amount of paper that comes into my life!

Composting Shredded Junk Mail 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.

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Bokashi Composting

Home Composter — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:35:18 +0000

I wonder what the downside is to Bokashi composting? It seems very promising… it’s super fast and you can compost meat and dairy along with everything else I’m already composting in my worm bins. I’m going to look into this further as an additional option for getting rid of some of my waste. I think it might also be something that people who say “no” to worms might consider.

Bokashi 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.

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Home Composter News on November 4, 2009

Home Composter — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:50:31 +0000

All Green Children’s Book | Organic Alice and the wiggly jiggly worms

November 4, 2009
- I love it, a composting book for kids. I think I will buy it for my niece if I can find it.

Westview Hills students dig composting – TheDoings-ClarendonHills.com

November 4, 2009
- Another grade school classroom makes composting an extremely interesting part of the curriculum.

Home Composter News on November 4, 2009 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.

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Home Composting Class

Home Composter — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:20:42 +0000

I signed up for a Home Composting class put on by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences through our county’s Extension Service. So far I have mainly researched composting and interacted with other home composters on the Internet, so I’m looking forward to meeting others in my area who are also interested in home composting and also to learning in person from an expert. It’s $15 for the 2 hour workshop and includes a compost bin to take home. I wonder if I’ll have room for it. It would be fun to try another method of composting.
photo credit: Ajay Tallam.

Home Composting Class 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.

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How Do I Know When the Compost is Ready

Home Composter — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:27:13 +0000

How do I know when the compost is ready? Since I haven’t gotten to the point of adding another tray to my Worm Factory 360, I had not yet considered if I would know that it was done. I think mainly the worms will leave the tray once there is no food left and there is food on the next tray up, but I guess it’s possible that the tray could be full and not fully composted. So a tip I read on Real Simple is to put the compost into a baggy and smell it before you seal it. Put it in a drawer for a few days and then open it and smell it again. It should smell the same as when you put it in. If it smells worse, then it could probably use more composting. Great tip and very cool to see one of my favorite magazines with a couple of articles on Home Composting.

How Do I Know When the Compost is Ready 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Naturemill Home Composter Back on My Radar

Home Composter — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:19:25 +0000

Josh Dorfman just recommended the Naturemill Home Composter on an episode of The Lazy Environmentalist. If you are into the environment even a little and you haven’t seen the show, you will want to check it out on the Sundance Channel, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Anyway, in an attempt to convert a chef who cooks for Barabra Streisand and other celebrities, over to the “green” side, Josh gives him a Naturemill composter along with a few other ideas.

I’ve been interested in this composting option since I started looking. If my budget had been a little bigger, I probably would have bought it instead of my Worm factory 360. The idea of having an odor-free composter under my kitchen cabinet that can handle meats and dairy products in addition to all the other stuff I’m composting, is very appealing. Besides that, it creates compost very quickly.

Don’t misunderstand, I’ve very happy with my worm bins, but if you just can’t get comfortable with the idea of worms and you’ve got $300 in the budget, the Naturemill Plus XE may be the way to go. If you have $400 in the budget, you might even step up to the Naturmill Pro XE for the 3-year warranty and the foot pedal. I mean if it’s good enough for the Lazy Environmentalist…

Naturemill Home Composter Back on My Radar 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.

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Talking About Worm Composting

Home Composter — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:35:26 +0000

I get a lot of funny looks when I start talking about worm composting. Home composting isn’t all that common, but composting on your back porch with worms is even less common. I understand the reactions because it was only a couple of months ago that I felt the same way. “Ick, worms.” “Eyoo the smell”. But it’s not like that at all. After researching composting methods for a month and then owning worms and a worm composter for a month, I can hardly believe it was a choice I almost didn’t consider. The worms make no noise and they eat the food before it smells. Covered with damp shredded junk mail (which the worms will also turn into compost), they are seldom visible when I remove the lid of my Worm Factory 360. I admit, when I lift the shredded paper to throw in some food waste, I do see some worms squirming while trying to get out of the light. But I already think that’s pretty cool since I also see compost where there used to be food. Honestly, I bet I could have a house guest for a week and they would probably not guess that the odd looking table in the corner is loaded with worms and old food and paper scraps… not to mention worm poop. Yes, that is the next conversation that gets a less than enthusiastic reaction. The nutrient-rich compost that worms create is actually worm poop. But if you saw it, you would think it was really good looking dirt. And by the way, no bad smell there either. All I know is that if I can come this far in my feelings about worm composting, there’s no reason other can’t do the same. I’m planning to keep talking about worm composting and show anyone who is interested how easy and cool it is. photo credit: Brian Lane Winfield Moore

Talking About Worm 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.

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Home Composter News on October 24, 2009

Home Composter — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:32:12 +0000

*Home composting* roadshow rolls into Rushden

October 24, 2009
- Wouldn’t it be great if we had home composting road show here!

Begley Points Way To Green, Sustainable Living – The Morning News

October 24, 2009
- Ed Begley is truly an inspiration. I didn’t realize he had written a new book, but I’ll be reading it soon!

Home Composter News on October 24, 2009 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Envirocycle Composter

Home Composter — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:40:41 +0000

Before I decided to buy the Worm Factory 360, I was seriously considering the Envirocycle Composter. It’s a small compost tumbler that can be used in the backyard or on the back porch. If my porch was a little bit larger, I probably would have chosen to go with this tumbler. In fact if I find that my worms don’t keep up with my food waste, I may buy the Envirocycle next summer and use both. The reviews on Amazon are very strong and the price is comparable to the Worm Factory. It will keep critters out and make compost fairly quickly, which works for me.

I have found worms to be very easy so far, but if you’re not quite up to dealing with a worm composter, this is another nice option for home and urban composters.

Envirocycle 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.

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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.

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Worm Composters Q & A

Home Composter — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:08:24 +0000

New worm composters will certainly have some concerns about how things are going. I know I do! Here are some of my question and I will update the answers as I discover them.

Q: Is it okay to put food into my worm bins before the worms have arrived.

A: Yes. In fact it’s probably good to have some in there a few days so the microbes that the worms eat can begin feasting.

Q: How do I know if I receive the amount of worms that I ordered?

Check out this video. I wish I had seen it before I put my worms in the Worm Factory 360.

Q: How do I know how much to feed my worms.

Mostly trial and error. Put a couple of handfulls in to start and wait a few days. Hopefully you will see some worms in the area of the food and some of the food will will no longer be recognizable. However, I will say that I didn’t see many worms at all, even when digging around in the food. I did see what I thought were worm castings in the part of the tray where there was no food. There had been coir all over the bottom of the whole tray and I believe that is what they ate first. I added a couple more handfuls of food waste after three days. Three days after that I was happy to see more worm castings. There was also some mold on the food, but I guess “some” is okay. I added more food, but probably should have waited until they had finished off more of what i had previously added. I think the key is to start paying attention to how much food you’ve added and how long it takes for the food in that part of the bin to become unrecognizable. You should get a feel for how much to add every few days or once a week. If you get a bunch of mold, then you’ve added too much food. That’s when odor can become an issue.

More Q & A will be coming soon!

Worm Composters Q & A 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.

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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.

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Worm Composting for Beginners

Home Composter — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:29:32 +0000

I think I’m going to start a special section of this blog called Worm Composting for Beginners for discussing issues that new worm composters may encounter. In all the research I’ve done, I haven’t found anything that talks in depth about the first days and weeks of having worms and worm bins in your life. I’m feeling a little insecure about what’s going on in there and could use a little reassurance. Hopefully by documenting my experiences, I can help someone else who is starting out with vermiculture.

Worm Composting for Beginners 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.

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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.

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Tidbit: Humus or Compost

Home Composter — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:58:20 +0000

I just learned from a CUNY Lecture Series podcast episode that “humus” (pronounced with a long ‘u’ sound) is what happens with organic matter decomposes naturally. Compost is what happens when humans manage the decomposition of organic matter. It’s all good for plants!

Tidbit: Humus or Compost 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Home Composter News on October 6, 2009

Home Composter — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:58:22 +0000

Vail Seasonal: Composting completes the cycle of life – Vail Daily News

October 6, 2009
- Great article in the Vail Daily about Shawn Bruckman and how her enthusiasm for composting is contagious. She’s getting kids excited about composting with worms. Maybe that’s who I should be telling about my new habit!

Home Composter News on October 6, 2009 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.

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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.

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Composting Tips, Tutorials and Tools

Home Composter — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 13:19:10 +0000

Florida’s Online Composting Center is a terrific resource for composting tips, tutorials and tools. There is a comprehensive list of items you can and cannot compost at http://www.compostinfo.com/tutorial/CanICompostIt.htm. Besides listing yes and no for each item, it explains how it will affect the compost. I also like the Virtual Composter interactive tool that lets you virtually add ingredients to a compost bin to see how it affects it and gives advice on what you can do to get the balance right.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Home Composter News on September 29, 2009

Home Composter — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:52:32 +0000

Queen's students launch vermicomposting initiative – The Kingston Whig-Standard

September 29, 2009
- This is so cool… Queens University in Canada is starting a program where students will be vermicomposting at their dorms. It sounds like a well developed plan and I hope other schools will be inspired to follow.

Home Composter News on September 29, 2009 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.

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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.

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The Worm Factory 360 is in the Lead!

Home Composter — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:54:29 +0000

The three worm bins that are in the running for my first home composter are: the Can-O-Worms, the Gusanito Wormswrangler Worm Farm Bin and the Worm Factory 360. The Can-O-Worms is slightly more expensive and a little bit larger than the other two, but does get pretty good reviews on Amazon. The Wormwrangler is similar in size, appearance and price to the original Worm Factory and also has decent reviews. It costs the least of these three options. However the one I’m leaning toward is the new Worm Factory 360. I don’t see any reviews for it on Amazon, but did find a couple in other places. Supposedly, it improves upon the original Worm Factory with its new Thermo Siphon Design which is supposed to speed up the composting process. It also comes with a 20 year warranty. I’ll do a little bit more research and make my decision in the next few days.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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What is Composting?

Home Composter — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:07:43 +0000

My plan was to start composting at home, perhaps because it just feels wrong to throw food and garden waste into a plastic bag and then into a dumpster. So I went straight to researching compost containers, so that I could buy one right away and get started. What I learned quickly by reading product reviews is that there is both science and art involved in making compost and mistakes can lead to “icky” results. So what is composting, how does it work and what will I need to do to be successful?… Although I couldn’t imagine reading a long, tedious book about composting, I did read some book reviews to see if there was something that might give me the education I needed before getting any further along on my journey. I found Ken Thompson’s book Compost, the natural way to make food for your garden and am getting just the type of information I wanted. It’s a quick read, with specifics on how composting works and what you need to know to get the right balance of ingredients. He gives pros and cons on different types of compost containers and even offers instructions for making your own. The book also addresses all the ways that compost can be used. I’ll reserve my final recommendation until I’m finished reading, but so far so good.

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Replace Trash Stickers with a Home Composter

Home Composter — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:49:15 +0000

As I am learning more about composting and looking for the technique that will suit my lifestyle best, I can’t help myself, but think of getting some of my family members on board to do the same. Several of them live in Quincy, IL where they purchase stickers that adhere to their trash bags. I think for large bags they use two stickers and for kitchen sized bags, they use one, but I don’t know for sure and I don’t know how much they pay for the stickers…. but I was wondering how much money they would save in stickers and trash bags each year, by composting. My sister doesn’t have a garbage disposal, so she might especially benefit if she had a home composter. I will try to have her estimate the amout of food waste she throws out each week, so we can calculate the savings.

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Home Composter News on September 17, 2009

Home Composter — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:40:29 +0000

At the Barth home, composting happens – Liberty Tribune

September 17, 2009
- It’s great to see stories in the news about real families who are composting at home successfully.

Kitchen Composter Program

September 17, 2009
- This blogger talks about why kitchen composting saves you money, is good for the environment and for your garden.

Make home composting second nature – Danville Weekly

September 17, 2009
- Love seeing local governments encourage composting. Danville, CA Solid Waste Authroity recently sponsored composting classes for residents in the area.

Home Composter News on September 17, 2009 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.

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I Won’t Be Using a Compost Pile

Home Composter — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:09:19 +0000

I can easily say that I’ve ruled out using a compost pile or heap as my method of composting. Although I don’t know if I can be called an urban composter, I live in a small townhouse and have very limited space inside and if I’m going to put anything outside, it had better be almost imperceptible to my neighbors. I maintain enough plants that I could probably hide something small, as long as it doesn’t get smelly.

Even if I lived in an area where I could have a compost heap, the idea of snakes, rats and other critters getting into it, would be more than enough to keep me from going that route.

photo credit: myrtle_avenue_brooklyn

I Won’t Be Using a Compost Pile 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.

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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.

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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.

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A Beginner’s Questions about Home Composting

Home Composter — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:23:00 +0000

The early stages of anything are usually the most difficult. I honestly don’t know anything about home composting or how to make compost and I have a bunch of questions that might be embarrassing to ask, but thanks to the Internet, I can do so anonymously. Here are a few of the questions for which I will be searching for answers and posting my findings right here on this blog. Of course, I’ll also be sharing the experiences that I have as a new home composter.

My Questions (in no particular order):

Do I have to use worms to make compost? Answer (updated 9/25/09): No, but it looks like a really good option.
Is composting gross?
Is there a home composter that I can use inside my house that doesn’t smell and take up too much room?
What types of things can I put into my composter?
Is it better to buy a home composter or to build your own?
What types of compost containers are best - compost tumblers, worm bins etc.?
What can I do with the compost once I make it? Can I put it on my lawn? How do I use it on plants? What if I have extra?
Is there an easy way to compost at home and get your family involved?

I know I have many more questions and will post both questions and the answers I find as I go throught this process. If you have any help to offer, please feel free to comment.

A Beginner’s Questions about Home 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.

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My Journey to Becoming a Home Composter

Home Composter — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 04:01:11 +0000

I love Ed Begley, Jr. and find myself wanting more and more to become a green citizen. I’m working on lots of little things to make my life more green, but have been a little nervous about the idea of home composting. This blog will be about my journey – the search for the method that suits me best and then the whole home composter experience. I hope many of you will join in and share your experiences or just help point me in the right direction.

My Journey to Becoming a Home 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.

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