Composting should be for everyone! No matter what space you have, there are options to suit all situations. From homes with small gardens to apartments with a few house plants, composting your food waste can be a great way to help the environment and get free plant food!
Tumblers
Compost tumblers are usually barrel shaped containers which are designed to be turned, similar to a tombola! Some come on stands, while others are designed to be rolled along the floor.
These are available in a variety of sizes and are a great way to reduce the effort of turning and managing your compost.
There is debate over the speed in which tumblers produce compost, seeming to take longer than a regularly turned and maintained traditional compost, but much less time than a compost left to its own devices. (Compost Magazine)
Pros:
- Good for those who struggle to fork and turn compost,
- Off the floor designs help prevent pests,
- Smaller options available,
- Good if you need an option for hard floor areas (e.g. paved), as liquids can be collected in a container underneath.
Cons:
- Slower than a well-maintained, traditional compost,
- Off the floor designs don’t contain worms, so result in a looser and rougher compost. (Grow Veg)
Hot Bins
Hot composting is a method that focuses on closely monitoring your compost to ensure the right conditions are met for getting it hot! This results in a much faster and more efficient composting process, through carefully managing the compost’s aeration, insulation and moisture levels. (Compost Magazine)
Pros:
- Significantly speeds up the composting process,
- High temperatures kill weeds and pathogens.
Cons:
- Time and energy intensive,
- Hit bin composters can be more expensive.
Wormeries
Wormeries or vermiculture, involved using worms to break down organic material into worm castings. Organic waste is added to a container with a group of worms, which is then turned into a liquid fertiliser that can be used as plant food. (Compost Magazine)
Find out more about how wormeries work and how to make your own, here: Wormeries – Recycle Devon
Pros:
- Very efficient – small containers can manage a surprising amount of waste,
- Space saver,
- Little to no odour when managed properly,
- Low maintenance,
- High quality product,
- Fun for children.
Cons:
- Some people just don’t like worms!
Electric Composters
These composters sit on your kitchen counter and use electricity to break down organic waste and produce something you can use in your soil or plants.
Not all electric composters are technically composting, as some do not use micro-organisms in their processes, which is a key requirement in true composting.
Electrical composters are relatively new and there’s a wide range of effectiveness out there, with some making promised they don’t keep – so it’s worth doing your research before buying. (Are Electric Composters Really Worth It? – Compost Magazine)
Pros:
- Great option for those who don’t have a garden and need an indoor solution, (especially if you don’t want a wormery),
- Produces a rich product,
- Low odour,
- 1st stage of compost is incredibly fast, your resulting product will still need to be left to mature before use.
Cons:
- Expensive,
- Ongoing cost of operating,
- Carbon impact of operating – look for more efficient models,
- Requires some management of the carbon to nitrogen ratio.
Bokashi Composting
Bokashi is the Japanese practice of fermenting organic matter to produce a nutrient rich compost. Unlike traditional composting methods, Bokashi is done in a small, airtight container and can compost a wider range of waste including meat, dairy and cooked food. (Gardening Knowhow)
During the process, waste is layered in a container with Bokashi ‘bran’; a medium like sawdust containing carefully selected micro-organisms. When full, the container is left for 2 weeks to ferment. The resulting product is a ‘pre-compost’, which can be added to a traditional compost heap to break down further, or simply buried directly in the ground to break down for a few more weeks before planting. (RHS)
Pros:
- Fast,
- Little to no odour as the container is airtight,
- Space saving,
- Composts a wider range of waste,
- Produces liquid by-product which can be diluted and used as plant food.
Cons:
- Ongoing cost of purchasing Bokashi bran,
- A second container or alternative disposal method needed for the two weeks where the container is left to ferment,
- ‘Pre-compost’ product cannot be used for planting immediately.
