r/composting • u/bigburppco • 1d ago
Give me composting lessons
I am excited to start my composting journey and i have been seeing both good and bad sides of composting.
Of course, i will have my own learnings during this journey, but i wanted to pick your brains to share your composting lessons. I have heard a successful composter just needs someone to touch this topic, and one can only wait for them to stop 🤪
Jokes aside, i am a working professional, mostly working from home, have a family of two (my husband and me), staying in Noida (so you can understand how the weather is here), and i have a balcony facing east (so the compost bins will receive early morning sun).
Hope this context helps you guide me in this journey. I am all ears! 👂
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u/lemonsupreme7 1d ago
Brotha, this entire sub already has all this info.... why make another post to regurgitate the same stuff...
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u/randemthinking 1d ago
Combine 1 parts greens (high nitrogen organic matter like food scraps, coffee grounds, green leaves) with 2-4 parts browns (high carbon organic better like cardboard, woodchips, dried leaves). Mix occasionally and keep moist but not wet. Pee is helpful for keeping moisture and adding nitrogen. It can take a little time to get enough mass and to develop the microbiology to start composting effectively.
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u/bigburppco 1d ago
What to do if it goes bad?
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u/randemthinking 1d ago
There's really only 2 things that can go bad.
Contamination is the worst--heavy metals, plastics, toxins, disease, chemicals, etc. You can't really fix that, but you can dilute it. More importantly, you control it by knowing what you're putting in.
Compost can go anaerobic, usually when it's too green heavy and/or wet. This is very common especially for new composters. Greens tend to be wet, browns tend to be dry. Browns also tend to create structure which improves aeration. Browns are probably more important but we tend to think of greens when we think of compost. You'll know it's going anaerobic if it starts to smell bad. The easy solution is to add more browns and turn it.
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u/TheVoodooKing34 1d ago
I got a paper shredder on marketplace to shred my paper and cardboard boxes. That's been great
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u/Ancient-Patient-2075 1d ago
So do I understand correctly - you're planning to compost on your balcony? What do you want to compost? I think on a balcony worm composting or doing the bokashi + soil factory are good options.
I like a big free standing hot pile with nothing but a tarp over it, but this is because it makes sense in my space.
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u/OddAd7664 1d ago
I used to also balcony compost, here's what I did. Mix in your browns and greens, and then you let it sit for a year (or so). Monthly I would mix it, and splash with water if it was too dry. You will have fruit flies, but that's normal. Have fun!
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u/DblBindDisinclined 1d ago
Welcome!
Whatever you do, I’d just keep in mind that you might not have the space on a balcony that can keep up with all the kitchen scraps from your household, and that’s ok! Just start small and keep iterating; that’s where all the fun and learning happens :)
Starting small is also good, because then your troubleshooting is much easier given the scale. You can fix any mishaps faster and easier. Which is important for good relationships with all your neighbors…
Also some strengths you’ve got over a lot of us: your weather that never dips below 0 degrees! High microbial activity is on your side. I, on the other hand, had to buy this hilariously insulated Swedish metal tumbler that is absolutely huge.
I would start small with a slow compost or even look into vermiculture. [r/vermiculture](r/vermiculture) is full of helpful info too. ETA: someone suggested bokashi too, which is great, and pairs well with vermiculture.
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u/Ancient-Patient-2075 13h ago
Actually one can sink a LOT of food waste in a bokashi system! Of course it'll depend on tte size of the household and how many plants you have.
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u/DblBindDisinclined 4h ago
Oh cool; TIL! Thanks for sharing your bokashi know how and experience :)
I’m fascinated by bokashi but haven’t actually figured out a convenient way to fit it indoors: 1) where I’d actually use it and 2) in an out of the way that doesn’t gross out my partner in our too cramped kitchen space and 3) out of reach of our dog who is also fascinated by all things waste stream related lol
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u/WorldComposting 22h ago
Easy way is to just decide an area away from your house and start piling things up. This is what I did for my first compost pile started layers grass clippings, small branches, food scraps and eventually it started steaming and I had compost. This is pretty easy to make sure you have enough greens when you add grass clippings as they heat up like crazy.
Hard way depends a lot on how much waste and the type you have. Many people don't realize that you need a lot of browns for compost to balance out all the greens you have from the kitchen and end up with a smelly mess that attracts bugs and rodents. If you don't have browns readily available you will need to get some.
Here is a link with more information https://www.worldcomposting.com/hub-hot-composting.html
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u/mapped_apples 1d ago
Here’s a tip: throw stuff in a pile and let it go. Put water on it and turn it occasionally.