Hey it’s Nat and I’m back again to talk about how to make YOUR food scraps into black gold for your garden.
To recap from the last blog I spoke about 4 reasons why everyone should do home composting. So why should we compost?
1) We can make a difference to the amount of waste we send to landfill
2) It can improve your soil structure and nutrient levels
3) Composting will trap moisture in your soil so it saves on water.
4) Helping absorb and filter runoff, protecting streams from erosion and pollution.
Composting helps the environment and it is as easy as 1 2 3. Whether you buy a bin or even build your own there are many types of composting bins available including –
1) Outdoor bins, with or without ventilation and ground holes
2) Tumblers
3) Open enclosures
4) Indoor/benchtop composters such as Bokashi bins
5) In-ground composting
6) Vermicomposting
There are various ways to compost and it can be hard to find which system is going to work best for you. Here are some ways that can help you find the best system for your home and garden!
1) Compost Bin –
• Choose a shady spot in your garden to start your compost heap or to position your compost bin
• Add to your compost in layers of food scraps, garden clippings and paper
• It is important to keep your compost moist but not wet and aerate it about once a week
• When your compost is dark and crumbly dig into your garden or spread it on top as mulch.
2) Worm Farms –
Worm farms are ideal for homes with small yards or no gardens. Worm farming composting is a faster process that produces rich casting and liquid fertiliser. It is primarily designed for food scraps. Worms can eat their own body weight in food organics in 24 hours. So get ready because you are going to need a lot of worms!
1) Buy or build a worm farm
2) Begin with at least 1000 worms
3) Choose a shaded area with shelter from heavy rain and sunlight
4) Line the tray with moist paper
5) Distribute the bedding and worms
6) Cover with moist newspaper
7) Let your worms settle into their new environment for a week before feeding them
3) Bokashi Bin –
Bokashi bins work by way of a fermentation process that turns your kitchen waste into a rich soil conditioner. This composting is airtight, using EM (Effective Micro- Organisms), sometimes called Bokashi “bran”. All you will need to do is –
1) Throw your scraps into the bucket
2) Add a sprinkling of Bokashi bran
3) Re- seal the lid
4) When the bucket is full leave it for four to six weeks with the lid sealed and then either dig the resultant Bokashi into the garden or add it to your compost heap.
5) As the Bokashi is composting, a nutrient liquor is produced which can be collected using the tap on the bucket every couple of days.
These are a few ways to make your home composting easy and fun. Be sure to look out for the brand new invention called the Zera Food Recycler, made by a team in the US. The Zera Food Recycler will convert food waste into ready to use compost within 24 hours! Even though this amazing food recycler is not yet available in Australia it is still inspiring to see people out there creating solutions to such a worldwide problem. It is so important to reduce as much waste as possible so it doesn’t end up in landfill.
Until next time,
Nat
Sourced By
1) http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/You-and-Your-Home/Waste-and-recycling/Food-and-garden-waste/Compost
2) https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/zera-food-recycler#/