Have you ever been curious about home composting or thinking about getting a worm farm but thought… isn’t it gross?
We definitely get it. To be perfectly honest this was our first thought too, and it took a little while to come around to the idea of having decomposing food on the balcony. I mean, surely it will smell, there’ll be flies everywhere, and do I have to touch the worms??
It turns out composting is actually incredibly easy to do, very rewarding, and if you love plants you will definitely love what compost does to them.
The Basics
Compost, worm farm or bokashi bin?
There are 3 main options for the home composter, and which one is right for you will depend on your living situation and type of organic waste you create.
COMPOST:
If you have a courtyard or garden with a shady spot and have a lot of organic waste, a full compost bin is a great option. You can process garden waste as well as household food waste and do not necessarily need to add worms to start (they will come in on their own!).
Dry leaves, egg cartons, newspaper and fireplace ash can be added to mix in with wet ingredients like vegetable peelings, citrus, grass cuttings, used oil and any sad looking veggies you find at the back of the fridge.
This system handles most of your organic waste, but it should be noted that you won’t be able to add meat scraps, pasta, bread or rice to a compost bin (it will attract vermin).
To maintain it and keep it from rotting just aerate occasionally with a garden fork. Once the lower levels of your compost bin are ready to use, simply lift the bin and place it next to its original spot, shovel the top few layers back in (these will not have broken down fully yet), and use the lower layers throughout your garden.
WORM FARM:
If you are living in an apartment and do not have access to a garden, but have a balcony, a worm farm is the perfect solution.
Portable and easy to maintain, you can add all of your organic waste and the worms will break everything down for you! Veggie scraps/peelings, egg cartons, egg shells, old flowers (locally grown of course!), and even your vacuum cleaner dust can be emptied in.
The structure of worm farms means that waste is split into individual trays, so that when one is full, you add the next one, and the worms will make their way through the system. When the bottom layer has broken down, add it to your balcony pots and pop the empty tray back on top of the worm farm ready for more food.
Like a backyard compost bin, you won’t be able to add any meat, bread, pasta or rice, and will also have to limit citrus scraps as worms are sensitive to the acidity. Also make sure your worm farm is well shaded during the summer so your worms don’t over heat!
BOKASHI BIN:
Bokashi bins have one key difference to the compost and worm farm systems – you can add all food waste including meat, bread, pasta and dairy.
These are the fastest system for breaking down food and whilst they are suitable to have in apartments and small spaces, you will need to have access to a community garden or friends yard, as bokashi waste has to be buried in the ground in order to finish breaking down.
Once you dig it back up it is the richest, best compost and you just add it to your community veggie garden or pot plants in the same way you do with compost bins and worm farms.
When managed properly none of these systems will smell. You will be amazed at the growth and strength of your plants when compost is added to the soil, and it is incredibly satisfying dealing with your food scraps at home and not having to toss them in the bin.
We absolutely love composting, it creates healthier soil which means you can grow stronger plants and flowers, and more nutritious vegetables.
If you want to give it a try and would like to know more, check out Compost Community or Compost Revolution who both have amazing tips on how to manage your compost and keep it in top condition, as well as troubleshooting if your system runs into any issues.
Many local councils also offer rebates for composting systems, meaning you can get one for a lot cheaper if you live in a participating area. We have compiled a list below so you can see if your council participates!
- Maroondah City Council- Maroondah CityCouncil
- Baw Baw Shire Council (shout out to Baw Baw for being the only council that offers a 100%
rebate!!