Compost Week

Just is case you weren't aware, Sunday was the beginning of International Compost Awareness Week. ("Woohoo" I hear you all cry)

There is so much amazing information out there about composting, so I thought I would bring a few of sites together for you.
Cleanup
WMRC Earth Carers
Sustainable Gardening Australia
G Magazine

We have reduced the amount of waste that goes into our council bin substantially and I know that a lot of this is due to composting. We now have 2 bins on the go.

One other composting system we have invested in is a Bokashi bin. The benefit of this system is that it is not picky at all as to what can go in. Cooked food, dairy and meat can all go in, and as it is an anaerobic system, there is no smell if you choose to keep this in the house. As long as you keep the lid tightly on and make sure that the tap is always closed, there is no reason you could not have one in your kitchen.

With both compost and bokashi, we keep separate buckets on the bench. Once a day we empty these into their respectable bin. Bokashi also involves squashing down and sprinkling with some of the Bokashi mix. The mix that you use "is a mixed culture of beneficial naturally occurring micro-organisms, mainly lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, photosynthetic bacteria and actinomycetes. All of these are mutually compatible and coexist in a liquid culture. " It doesn't break down like in a compost bin, but it smells more like it is pickling. It isn't too offensive but sometimes you might need to increase the amount of mis you sprinkle over the top.

On an Earth Carers course one of the tours guides commented that if you have the space for a garden, you have the space for compost.

The biggest pay-off of it all is using your own compost to grown your own vegetables. What a buzz. I really love the little surprises you get too. I have lost count of the number of tomato seedings I have harvested just from the compost that has gone onto the garden.

I hope you enjoy International Compost Awareness Week.

Take care