Can I compost if I really have no use for the compost? We don’t fertilize or use mulch or any of that and have no plans to start. What would I have to do with the finished compost to make room for the next batch?
Also, after the initial setup, I would prefer not to spend a lot of time on this. Like, maybe 5 minutes a week and it’s not the end of the world if I miss a week. Is that at all realistic?
Finally, my goal is simply to reduce our trash tonnage and stop putting food into the garbage disposal and sewage treatment system. In my ignorance, I was thinking I could continue putting our yard waste into the yard-waste bin (picked up weekly by the city), but now I’ve done a little reading and discovered that a compost pile isn’t really a compost pile unless it has a certain size, and it seems like a mix of “ingredients” is best. So, what happens if I start small, put in only food waste, and need several weeks for the pile to get up to that size? Will it even work? Will the neighbors come after me with my composting pitchfork because of the smell?
My mom has suggested putting our kitchen compost into their compost pile instead of starting one of our own. Maybe that's the level of involvement I'm really after...?
Mojo Brew bio
8 months ago
6 comments:
Just set up a small galvanized garbage can for kitchen waste and make a half hour drive to Marysville every week to visit you Mom. Leave the trash and drive home. You'll have one less meal to prepare each week, she'll be thrilled. Everybody wins.
Although many will preach about the "right" way to do composting, you don't have to go whole hog....My neighbors used to dig a trench in their garden all winter, fill with kitchen waste (coffee grounds, veggies peelings....egg shells etc) and then cover it up again, let the organisms in the dirt chow down....it will still add to your soil without having to "build" something....We have a compost pile and collect manure from various farms (like dump truck loads - we farm strawberries and need to add it to our fields before planting - I digress) and all spring and summer I put my kitchen waste on the pile, but I admit to being lazy over the winter, I just dump it straight on to the veggie garden (shorter walk), knowing hubby is going to till it in in the spring.....and I'll plant on it.....and it will be recycled.....
Out compost pile doesn't really smell that much, but it's completely enclosed (we have some terribly invasive native weeds I don't want getting into it) so I'm sure that helps. We use a compost bin supplied by our garbage company. I think it also breaks down faster because it stays warm. I put grass clippings or leaves on it when I think of it, but otherwise I don't do *anything*, and over time it has turned into a nice dark crumbly soil. Like magic! If you don't want to move it yourself, I guarantee you have neighbors that would be happy to come cart it away for you!
How about this?
http://tinyurl.com/7fwtsy
If you decide to compost yourself, you could also give your compost away to community gardens.
We get our compost picked up now by our garbage collector - goes in the yard waste bin!
It's likely that you have neighborhood raccoons, possums, and ratties that would be attracted to kitchen waste. It might be good to keep your compost in a straight-sided trash can with a tight lid and some holes drilled in the bottom. This also makes it easy to "stir" your compost: just roll it around a bit. Your rose, lilac, maple, and rhody would all love some compost. And you'd still have leftovers for Mary!
Scott - Do you think she had an ulterior motive behind her suggestion? :-)
Lou - Hi! Nice to see you. I'll add your blog to the blogroll.
Linda - My reading backs up what you say: even composting the "wrong" way eventually works. And since we don't need a steady supply, we're not in a hurry.
Robin - Umm, ewww. :-) I'll have to see if either of the girls is interested in worm farming.
Our yard waste pickup specifically prohibits food, unfortunately.
Steph - Good reminder about the critters. We do indeed have a thriving population of raccoons, possums, and squirrels. I've never seen a rat (except inside the house *g*), but that's not conclusive.
Thanks to all for the help!
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