The Nature Hogg

Despite being lucky enough to live in a city with municipal composting, I’ve taken an interest in doing my own composting; after all, while all our organic materials are broken down and returned to the earth either way, I want that all that rich dark  loam for myself and the organic (as far as we can guarantee, this only being my first year in the house) vegetable and herb garden that my friend Meg and I will be … digging up the earth for this week, now that I think about it! I don’t believe in wishing your life away, but sometimes time flies in the most delightful way!

(Meg and I are both incredibly excited about our herb-and-veggie-based plans for the summer)

At any rate: composting.  We actually have an (overfilled) composting bin that came with our house, though it was/is visibly filled with non-organic matter that the former tenants evidently couldn’t be bothered to throw in the garbage.  Annoying though that is, it could be cleaned out and worked around (and eventually will be, I’m sure, though I must admit I’m not looking forward to doing so), but after a bit of research I realised that what we have is an anaerobic compost pile — for an excellent explanation of aerobic and anaerobic composting, please click here — and anaerobic composting is not only somewhat smelly (smelly enough to attract, I’m sure, my dogs, all three of whom delight in eating things they’re not meant to, and then getting very, very sick all over the floor, the furniture and — my favourite part — me) but takes some time. I despaired.

Then I came across the coolest, most creative, most awesome idea ever!  Worm composting!  Worm composting, technically vermicomposting, is odourless (or so they say), relatively quick, compact enough to be done pretty well anywhere, and involves having a colony of pet worms!  Unfortunately, not all compost can go in a worm compost bin — dairy and meat, for example, is a definite no-no — so it requires two kitchen compost bins (my husband’s going to love that, I’m sure), but it ultimately sounds perfect for my needs.

The best part, I think (aside from having pet worms): you can compost, as I mentioned, anywhere.  “Anywhere” includes your small/gardenless apartment or condo… which means, even in a city without a municipal composting programme, you can still compost, and then give the compost to a friend with a garden or take it to your favourite woodland/park/etc! The earth will thank you.

For an excellent how-to site on vermicomposting, please click here.

I’m planning to order our own vermicompost from Worm Composting Canada, a relatively local company, once money’s a little less tight. I’ll report back on my vermicomposting adventures in the relatively near future.

Next: Companion Planting.