Composting: A common dilemma for apartment dwellers
Here's a rogue approach to composting in 2011 — with the help of a neighbor's green bins. How do you compost?
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I live in UES in NYC and have a pretty good size easily accessible fire escape and nyc.org actually has a class on composting (with worms) in NYC. I am going to take the class and let you know how it goes. They compost with worms.
If maintaining a worm bin doesn't sound like your kind of thing, look into sharing a bin with a neighbor that already composts. Buy two buckets with lids, leave an empty one with the neighbor (stored outside their gate, perhaps?), and when you swing by with a bucket full of scraps, you can just leave it right outside-in case their not home, and take the empty one with you. Your neighbor gets more compost material, and you can recycle your food scraps. Having the rotating buckets is less hassle.... More
Vermicomposter for the past two years in sixth floor apartment in downtown Seattle. It's been amazing, and I use the worm castings to augment my balcony container garden. I LOVE my worms, and they take care of everything.
Let me join the comments advocating worms. Make sure you cover the stuff when you add it. And it's a good idea to freeze it in case fruit flies lay eggs on it before you put it into the bin. Make sure you thaw before you add it...
As for the concerns that worms "can't keep up", they can. You may have to start slow, but they reproduce pretty quick.
http://naturemill.com/
We bought a naturemill indoor composter that turns our family of 4's scraps into soil in less than a week. We were afraid of animals getting into an outdoor compost bin, and wanted to be able to compost food waste all year long. We have had it for almost a year and it is very easy to use. We store the soil in a bin to use on potted plants or in the garden throughout the year. I would recommend it for apartment dwellers or.... More
I am suprised and happy to all the worm bin suggestions. Feeling like I was on the lunatic fringe we stared an apartment worm bin about a year ago. It definitely felt like an experiment, but has worked out very well, coffee grounds alone really add up, why send valuable organic material to a landfill ? It did take a bigger bin than I expected to handle compost for a family of three. One pound of worms didn't do it, but about three pounds did. All you need is a rubbermaid bin some crumple.... More
one pound of worms becomes 3 pounds of worms over a couple months...
As long as you don't overfeed initially, you'll eventually get up to large numbers. So if the initial cost of 3 pounds seems high, start with something lower. We started with 1 pound (or was it 1/2?) and by now, I estimate we have well over 5. Possibly 10 lbs in there.
...Is there a reason you can't knock on a door of someone who uses the green bin for compost and just ask their permission?
I would most certainly compost if I knew how to go about it. I live an apartment and I have no idea what to do! If there were public service announcements on composting, I would be more in the loop.
Come now, there must be hundreds, if not thousands, of hits when the term "compost" is input into a search. Saying "I don't know what to do" is a copout.
there are many many sites on the net just google
As a Master Gardener I do programs on garbage can composting, in which you can compost everything except meat scraps. It takes up small space and can be placed anywhere. Drill several small holes in a plastic garbage can, layer scraps including paper which you have torn into small pieces, cover with lid. Use in container gardening on your balcony.
I have a mother-in-law who would freak if you put anything into her trash cans. I'd say trash cans are private property and you should not put your trash in other peoples cans.
If freezer space isn't a huge problem, you can just stick your food scraps in a plastic bag (you can reuse one from the grocery store!) and put the bag in the freezer until you can take what you accumulate to a local farmer's market that accepts compost. It's a little annoying to open up the freezer and the bag every time you have food scraps, but I've found it to be worth it.
I've been using a worm bin for 3 years. They eat everything and adjust population based on how much food you put in the bin. Any odor problems you can cover with shredded newspaper on top. In addition you can dry egg shells and powerder them in a coffee grinder. This poured on top will take care of any odor. The worms are incredible, and the smell of vermicompost is very fresh and clean.
and if you use red wigglers you will have the best poop for your plants/gardens. RW double in population. every six weeks...then sell them or whatever
I used (and still use) a worm bin to compost my food scraps when I was an apartment dweller. They require no more care than a house plant, and provided that you don't overload the bin, the only smell you will detect is the smell of fresh garden soil. Highly recommended.
I noticed some of the other worm bin comments about not being able to process all of their food scraps. The capacity and throughput are dependent on the worm population. The worms will adjust their population according to the amount of food you regularly add, and you need to ramp up slowly. My bin was able to handle the food scraps of three adult vegans, so you know that's a lot of veggies. Just give them time and they will take care of everything.
Keiro is a compact food grinder that makes composting kitchen scraps a snap. Just throw in your compostable food waste, turn the hand crank, and Keiro will churn out scraps that are the optimum size for composting.
http://www.quirky.com/products/48-Keiro-Kitchen-Compost-Grinder?r=1051ea...
- Convenient size for kitchen counters, cupboards, and
Curious how you managed to actually try this product as the link you provided is presale only at this time?
I couldn't compost in rainy Hawaii because of the fruit fly problem, but desperate for compost I got into the worm bin thing and it really paid off. I was able to compost everything plant-based, it was faster than a traditional bin, and never had flies. Good luck!
I have composted for over 2 years and live in San Francisco, where the city provides very large green bins to collect household organic material. There are many small kitchen compost bins that control odor using charcoal filters, into which I place the compostable waste. When it needs emptying, I simply take it to my larger bin, which is emptied weekly by our recycling service.
We have a large composting bin outside but we started a worm composter in our basement about a month ago. Really simple design - large plastic tote with holes drilled for aeration. Very easy to maintain and no odor. We can't put all of our produce waste in there - the worms wouldn't be able to keep up. But, the worms really go through the material we give them and make great compost. And, it cuts down on the number of trips I have to make (through the snow) to our outside bin.
I've also had a worm bin in my apartment and office at work for 3 years. Never smells if you don't overload it. I can't compost all my food scraps because my worms cant keep up with all of them. We eat a lot of produce in my household. Still, its better than having it all go in the trash and then to the landfill. There are commercial versions of worm composting bins too that make it easier.
Worms will work in Your apartment. My hint would be to purchase Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof before you
start worm composting. Have Fun
I have had a worm bin for 3 years and it doesn't smell, is very low maintenance, and works wonderfully! I would highly recommend it!
The best composting solution www.FreeRecyclingQuotes.com can think of is to get a GUINEA PIG, they eat all sorts of fruits and veggies.
I am an apartment dweller my self, and my worm bin has been a trash saviour! Its amazing how much worms can eat! It doesn't smell and its in my kitchen, in just a rubbermaid bin with holes drilled into it. I use the finished compost on my house plants and indoor garden, and they have never looked so alive! Just make sure to freeze and thaw your produce first, it gets rid of any potential for fruit fly eggs.
I found a site where you can get coupons for restaurant called "Printapons" they are on all over the news, search online
Have you looked into a cheap bokashi system. They fit underneath your sink and are perfect for apartments. They are airtight so there is no odor. They do require you purchase activator to get the decomposition going.
Hi. Great post. I highly recommend that you get a worm bin.
