Wise gardeners and smart householders know that recycling a home’s organic waste into compost cuts down on garbage and gives organic matter back to the soil, contributing to nature’s cycle which promotes sustainable living.
The question posed . . . if you live in an apartment, or don’t have room for a proper garden, how can you compost?
The red, wiggly secret is in the worms. Worm composting is an easy and eco-friendly way for apartment dwellers to compost their food scraps. To start, you need a large sealed container, some wet newspaper, leaves, and other plant scraps, some sand as a bedding mix, and worms. Worms can be found in a friend’s compost bin, a fishing supply shop or a farm’s manure pile. Many cities have compost hotlines that can help you set up your own colony.
Drill holes in the bottom of the bin to allow aeration and drainage. The bin itself should be slightly elevated and a drain tray should be placed underneath. If you don’t allow for some oxygen flow, this might get you some rich smells. Fortunately, these are correctable.
Add the worms to the bedding and then add your food waste over time. The worms, with some help from other microorganisms, will convert the entire contents into rich, earthy compost, an eco friendly fertilizer which can be used to top up potting soil.
You can also make compost teas by steeping the compost in a bag (old nylons!) inside a bucket of water for a few days, and stirring or using a fish tank pump to increase oxygen flow. Compost tea can then be sprayed on house plants to increase their ability to resist pathogens.
