Peace and Environment News* July-August 1994
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Peace and Environment News * July-August 1994 |
by Marion King
So your home-owning friends are enthusiastically composting, reaping the benefits of rich black soil with which to dress their lawns, and boasting about what they are doing for the environment at the same time! Meanwhile you are living in an apartment and having to put your kitchen scraps in the garbage each week. What can you do?
There are several options, one of which is vermicomposting, about which more another time. This month we will focus on balcony composting.
Apartment dwelling means close proximity to others, so you will want to take special care not to cause odour, insect or drainage problems that will offend your neighbours, and to ensure you are not contravening any condominium bylaws.
For composting on your balcony, the City of Ottawa suggests using a metal or plastic garbage can. Punch holes in the base, sides and lid using a hammer and large nail. Raise the bin on bricks and place a tray underneath to catch any excess moisture. Line the bottom of the bin with a three-inch layer of finished compost, soil, or shredded leaves; then you can start adding your organic kitchen scraps such as fruit and veggie peelings, tea leaves and coffee grounds, shredding the material finely to speed the process. Remember, no meat and no dairy products!
Each time you add kitchen waste you should also add an equal amount of brown or dry material. Your home-owning friends will be glad to give you a bag of leaves come autumn, or you can use shredded newspaper and the contents of your vacuum cleaner bag. (Of course you will want to avoid shreddings from nylon carpets and other synthetic materials.) This will counteract any excess moisture problems and provide an efficient carbon/nitrogen ratio.
Because your composting can will be smaller than a regular compost pile, it might suffer from a lack of heat, so if possible stand it close to the building wall, or where it will get a few hours of sunshine every day. Finally, aerate the pile by turning it frequently, and add soil occasionally—the microorganisms in soil are necessary for the decomposition process.
All being well, you will have soil to harvest in four to six months. Empty your bin, and start afresh with a new base, putting back any material from the first batch which has not properly decomposed. Use the soil for your favourite house plants, or try balcony gardening. Tomatoes, peppers and suchlike grow nicely in pots, and you can savour the unmatched flavour of your very own homegrown veggies.
Marion King is a volunteer with the Ottawa-Carleton Region's Certified Composter Program.
Converted December 12, 2000 - Lg
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