Easy Composting Suggestions for Kitchen Waste?

[Xiao Rong]

Hey everyone! I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions for some easy ways to compost? I cook regularly for myself and my sweetie, and I always feel terrible throwing away kitchen scraps. My apartment complex doesn't have a compost bin, and so most of the time I just wind up tossing them in the trash, or occasionally leaving some vegetable scraps into my backyard in the bushes, so at least they can return to the earth. I'd love to find a way to compost, though -- preferably without a giant bin because I don't produce that much food waste to justify it, and I'm pretty sure the apartment complex won't let me put one in my patio (they want everything to look pretty, you see ...).

For what it's worth, I have a big backyard shared with a lot of neighbors but only a tiny bit of patio that belongs to me. I also have ambitions for a container herb/vegetable garden on said patio next spring (I managed to keep a small container herb garden going this season, yay!), and I'd love to use some compost for that.

I've been reading about worm towers/tubes and that sounds like it could be perfect for me -- a way to dispose of a small amount of kitchen waste -- but there seem to be mixed reviews on how well they work ...

Any thoughts? Would very much appreciate any suggestions!

[Becks]

I hear red wigglers are amazing. A container for them doesn't have to be too large.

I have never heard of the tube. That looks interesting. Worth a try I think....

[keria]

If you just have a bucket or container of some kind about a quarter to half full of dirt to start (any kind that you dig up from somewhere) and put your scraps in it and stir them in. Needs to drain just like a planter. So pretty much an empty plant container lol. Sometimes there will be a smell if you put any protein scraps (meat, beans etc.) in so be aware of that. But if you stir it in deep and leave it for about two weeks then that helps.

[Xiao Rong]

@ Becks: Yeah, I might have to try it anyways!

@ Keria: Thanks! That sounds really easy and doable! So do you need to cover it or anything like that? And after 2 weeks the compost is ready to go?

[keria]

No you don't have to cover the container (although if you're worried about smell you can) and It depends on how dense the scraps are to how fast they break down. Steak scraps may take a month verses vegetables scraps may only take a week but you will know by stirring the dirt if it's broken down enuf. If you're using it to plant things in then I would make sure everything is broken down good. Maybe when you have used/filled one up enough let it set for about two months while you start another one and rotate them.

[LoneWhiteWolf]

Can you not save your food scraps in a container to put in the fridge? it might be worth trying to look up things you can make in larger portions so you can freeze some of it for later and hopefully none of it goes to waste.

I would like to say you shouldn't really try to compost meat, while it rots down it attracts animals and flies and that might cause a problem for your shared garden.
You need to also look into what you want to compost, because different things break down faster then others, such as banana skins take a lil while longer then apple cores. You also need abit more then just a bucket for this. The time it takes for things to compost vs the amount of food your throwing out need to be considered. Worms help speed up the process but also need space and can only do so much.
But im no expert when it comes to composting, all i know if you compost certain things desperately to archive different nutrient levels and PH's. Like pine needles make soil alkaline, and leaves when composted turn into leaf mold which is great and high in nutrients.

Hope this helps / Makes sense dear