Comments on: Guest Post: Alisa’s Kitchen Composting 101

By: Kitchen Composting | Blog Feature - Alisa

Kitchen Composting | Blog Feature - Alisa — Fri, 20 May 2016 16:31:31 +0000

[...] featured my article about Kitchen Composting on her blog. Thank you Sayward!! You can read it here. Happy [...]

By: Sayward

Sayward — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:24:39 +0000

Great comments and great advice here. Thanks everyone! I also use the simple black plastic bin sold by the city, but when I have more space I’m totally going to go with the three-wooden-boxes method. I think it’s the best.

@ Serenity – I don’t know about GM (it’s so understudied!) but pesticides are definitely something to think about when home composting. My understanding is that for the most part they do not break down. So, that’s a call that each individual has to make for themselves. I know people who only home compost organic food, and send the conventional stuff off to the city compost (Portland has curbside compost service along with trash/recycling)

By: Meghan

Meghan — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 17:43:47 +0000

I like the sound/look of those wooden three-bin systems!

By: Gabriel Nagmay

Gabriel Nagmay — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 23:23:10 +0000

@erosan
I use 3 of the black bins that the city sells – but you could as easily use a wooden system: http://bit.ly/bIZvXG

“wouldn’t the second become full as soon as you turn the first bin into the second?”
See this is the one of the great things about compost – the pile gets much smaller as it continues to decompose.

Yes, when you “turn” the first into the second it is immediately full. However, by the time that your first bin starts to become full again, the second will be 1/2 to 1/3 of the original size. So you top off the second bin a few times. When they both become full, it is time to move the compete second bin to the 3rd and final position.

Trust me, by the time your 1st and 2nd bins are full again, that 3rd bin is more then ready to put in the garden.

One more note: This system works especially well because mixing new and almost fully composted material helps to keep the microbes working after the initial decomp. You can think of the bins like this:

Bin 1 – Fresh material. Hot. Quickly reducing.
Bin 2 – Mixing just-decomped and almost-done keeps the microbes happy.
Bin 3 – Completed, cooling and waiting to be used.

By: erosan

erosan — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 23:02:43 +0000

@Gabriel Nagmay: That sounds like something I could try! I’ve got a question though: what do you mean with: “when the second is full”?

Are the bins different sizes? because if they are the same size, wouldn’t the second become full as soon as you “turn” the first bin into the second?

By: Serenity

Serenity — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:43:27 +0000

Does that fact that most of our food is genetically modified and pesticide laden change the value of homemade compost?

By: Adrienne Audrey

Adrienne Audrey — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 04:56:05 +0000

We got an indoor worm composting bin for Christmas last year. Its great for apartments and small spaces. It fits right in the corner in the kitchen and it doesn’t smell at all. I highly recommend these for people who don’t have yards or want to deal with a large compost bin.

By: Meghan

Meghan — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 02:49:16 +0000

I definitely need to revisit this in about a month when we finally move into a house! I know it is possible to compost in an apartment, but it always just seemed too daunting. Hopefully I can convince my husband that it is a decent idea when the time comes around. :-)

By: Gabriel Nagmay

Gabriel Nagmay — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 23:48:36 +0000

“Once a week or so, turn your pile”
To many people that I talk to, this seems to be the biggest hesitation. They rightfully argue that they don’t have the time to turn a large pile every week. I try to assure them that this a recommendation – not a requirement.

I have been composting my entire life and rarely turn a pile more then once a month (if that). Sure, it may take a bit longer, but even a stagnant pile will produce great compost.

It also helps to explain “turning”. Really, you just need to break down and remix the pile.

For me, the 3 bin method is easiest: You put all fresh material in the first bin – toping each layer with dead leaves or soil to reduce any smell. When it is completely full, “turn” it by moving it to the second bin. And when the second is full move it to the third. This bin is completed compost that you can use as needed.