Composting and Vermiculture

Composting

As many BEE SIGgers have found, it is quite possible to have an odourless compost bin even on a balcony to get rid of their food waste. Here is a summary information about composting shared on our mailing list.

Ways Of Eliminating Smell

Method 1

What we do at home is make sure there is a drip tray at the bottom to catch any moisture remaining in food, so it doesn't mess up. Then we mix a little shredded newspaper and a little fine wood and then the rest, which is in general dried food. So no tomatoes and the like. The box is from a shop so it is ventilated and is placed in a sunnny area to create heat and decomposition.

Method 2

As for composting it depends on the quantity- I live alone and compost my own kitchen waste very simply by putting it in a heavy duty plastic bag on the balcony. I mix it with soil bought from my home centre and this does the trick re:the smell issue. I occasionally add a bit of water to speed decomposition - basically the stuff wants to rot and as long as it doesn't dry out it will do. If the bag fills up I simply discant the stuff at the bottom into planters , mix it with more soil and plant vegetable seeds in it. Don't seal the bag as air is needed and occasionally give it a shake to provide an extra bit of aeration.

Method 3

Okay, after all that, the simple answer is to poke some holes in your compost to let the air circulate. Put a garden fork in (if you've got one) and jiggle it about. Don't mix the compost as the young stuff will slow down the serious development of the mature stuff at the bottom. When it's pretty much done, you should be able to lift the entire contents of the bucket out in one lump on your fork, but some of the younger stuff on top will need to be shaken off back into the bucket for the next lot.

The high-tech solution to your problem is a curious white powder containing Effective Microorganisms (EM). These little blighters will speed up the decomposition process and reduce the smell. They're quite popular in Japan, so you should be able to get them in a gardening centre. I know some people who use them, but I'm not sure if it's really necessary or desirable to be adding foreign organisms to your pristine compost, unless you can't get rid of the smell with normal aeration techniques.

Method 4

(From an Article by Valerie Matsumoto, Kansai Time Out):

The only purchase you'll need to make is two plastic garbage cans. Ideally the largest should be about 100 litre capacity and the smaller about 60 litres. The larger the volume, the faster your compost will heat up, thus aiding decomposition.

Make about 15 small holes in the bottom of the smaller can. Next, make three rows of holes along the side of the same can about 15cm apart, leaving approximately 10ch between the rows. Place a brick or a similar large solid object in the bottom of the large can. This is to allow leachate to drain out of the smaller can. Rich in nutrients, it can be diluted with water and added to pot plants or added back to the compost as is. Into the smaller can, lay a base of carbon-rich materials like twigs or pine needles, then layer with nitrogen-rich materials such as kitchen peelings or green leaves. The smaller the pieces, the faster the breakdown. Finally, top with soil and give the whole thing a generous sprinkling with water. Secure the lids and go and make a cup of tea… In winter, insulate your compost bin by surrounding it with old newspapers.

You can buy aerated compost bins at garden centers and from Japan Agriculture.

Vermiculture

Vermiculture is an excellent apartment-friendly way of disposing of food waste also. There are products called "The Worm Factory" and "Can-O-Worms", made by a Sydney company called Reln Plastics, and both are available in Japan through their distributor Sagami Jyoka Service in Kanagawa Prefecture, (Telephone 0463-90-1332 and Fax 0463-95-9667. A big part of Reln's energy goes into education and there is a teacher's activities page on their site, and also a Japanese language page which explains all about their products (which may even lend itself to a low cost eco-project for ALTs!).

Some Advice About Using Vermiculture

With worms, you will need a deep tray with rocks at bottom and an ashen bag to prevent the little worms from falling out. Then some earth, most preferably with no nutrients or fertilizer in it, or this will kill the worms. Then we place dry food only mixed amongst the earth so the worms can access it and we cover the lot with an ashen bag so that the air and sun do not burn and dehydrate the little things. Now with worms after one month (depending on tray size) we do another tray to put on top so that the worms can migrate out of the previous box with their little babies into the new box. then we throw the first box into the garden or pot plants and start again.