Even city folks can compost!

Small garden composters are the way to go!

All the while when I was growing up we kept a cut off milk jug sitting by the kitchen sink. All the vegetable scraps went into that jug. After supper every night, Dad would take the jug out to the garden and dig a hole. He’d bury that scrap every day in a new spot.

Didn’t take long before the soil responded! Dad has the best garden in town these days and he still takes that little jug out every night.

I’ve seen people use the scatter method, just scattering their peels and leavings on top of the garden bed. Some people bury it like Dad does. But if you want to go all out, get a composter unit built for the average backyard. These babies can create dark loamy compost in about a month.

You’ll have rich, dark soil that the earthworms just can’t resist.

earthworms

Did you know that some people have a Worm Farm in their house? YES! Start out with a medium sized plastic container filled with a little dirt, and lots of moist, shredded newspaper and a cover (with air holes please). Then add in your worms. Your worms will start eating the newspaper. After the worms have started to multiply, then you can start adding your kitchen waste matter to the bin. The worms will ‘compost’ your potato peelings, your carrot tops, and your other kitchen waste. (Don’t feed your worms meat!)

A property cared for worm bin won’t smell or attract flies. The surface should be damp, not wet. You should allow for air circulation and don’t feed more than the worms can process. Burying the food in the litter will keep down the fly population.

As your worm population grows, you may remove worms to a second bin to ‘eat’ more garbage or you can remove some to your garden.

As long as we’re talking composting, have you ever considered a composting toilet? Don’t laugh! Composting toilets have come a long way. They aren’t just a bucket with a lid or a privy out back. Today’s composting toilets are far advanced. They’re composting systems. They distribute air into the compost, have heating units to help compost at the proper temperature and compost mixing units, all out of sight. Systems can range from a self contained unit to a larger system, perfect for homes with basements. (The main unit – where the composting actually takes place – is placed in a separate room or basement.) A composting toilet is perfect for anyplace that has low perk soil or a homestead that’s too rocky to dig a septic tank, or for replacing a failing septic system. When you consider the cost to build or replace an entire septic system versus the outlay for a composting toilet, you’ll find many a smart homeowner choosing the
composting variety. Composting toilets save water too.

Composting is a smart choice – no matter the method.