Hi fellows!
(Reposting here because I think this makes more sense!)
I need help!
Space is an issue! I have a Vitamix Food cycler which dehydrates food and grinds it to look like (picture below). it reduces scraps by 90%, so its very helpful for me to use daily as I don't have anywhere to keep large amounts of food scraps.
My question is now that I have all of this, what can I do with it to make good compost? The food obviously has no moisture in it so I'm not certain how to proceed! Is Bokashi my best option? or make a smaller worm bin?
Look forward to everyones help and input!
Anya
Help!!! Composting with food cycler leftovers
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Wowee! I've not heard of the dehydration method you're using until now.
I know Andrew will chip in with his expertise, but may I ask:
- Is the primary reason to dehydrate to save space, because you cannot go to your composting location frequently, say, once a week? I ask because the dehydration step consumes electricity so increases your cost but isn't necessary for composting. When I lived in a little flat, I would keep my scraps in a closed container in the freezer until I could walk them to a community garden or composting centre. Freezing = no smell, no leakage while I walked them away. (I also learned to eat more of what lots of others throw away: no need to toss cauliflower leaves when they are so delicious roasted or in a soup! )
- In the dry conditions where I grew up, scraps at the surface or tossed to the side while working on a hot day in the garden would dry up. They needed some extra water when put into a compost system. There, we had to water our compost (usually, any leftover tea/coffee and the dishwater!) and keep it covered to prevent excess evaporation. I'm sure worms would be happy with the shredded materials you're creating but they would just need some rehydration.
I know Andrew will chip in with his expertise, but may I ask:
- Is the primary reason to dehydrate to save space, because you cannot go to your composting location frequently, say, once a week? I ask because the dehydration step consumes electricity so increases your cost but isn't necessary for composting. When I lived in a little flat, I would keep my scraps in a closed container in the freezer until I could walk them to a community garden or composting centre. Freezing = no smell, no leakage while I walked them away. (I also learned to eat more of what lots of others throw away: no need to toss cauliflower leaves when they are so delicious roasted or in a soup! )
- In the dry conditions where I grew up, scraps at the surface or tossed to the side while working on a hot day in the garden would dry up. They needed some extra water when put into a compost system. There, we had to water our compost (usually, any leftover tea/coffee and the dishwater!) and keep it covered to prevent excess evaporation. I'm sure worms would be happy with the shredded materials you're creating but they would just need some rehydration.
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Peasintherain, Yes space is an issue and the Vitamix food cycler just does it for you. I only have a small balcony as I am not allowed to have a compost in my raised community garden bed area, and the food cycler reduces scraps size by 90%. I guess rehydrating it will need to happen, in your experience once rehydrating what type of composting would you recommend? Is there enough oxygen since into so fine and compressed for a worm bin?
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From what I've tried, almost any type of composting is still available to you with this small, dried material but you may need to mix in some different material to create structure. To put this into a worm bin, I'd make sure to add small amounts (an incomplete layer) and preferably add alongside other materials -- even shredded paper -- and moisture. Perhaps you can find some composting buddies to provide some bulk to go along with your grounds?
I'm new to bokashi so don't feel I have enough to provide a strong reply there. From my experience growing microbes in laboratory settings, most things will work eventually but compacted materials will always take more time than a mixed solution or different-sized mixture with spaces.
I'm new to bokashi so don't feel I have enough to provide a strong reply there. From my experience growing microbes in laboratory settings, most things will work eventually but compacted materials will always take more time than a mixed solution or different-sized mixture with spaces.
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All composting requires adequate moisture. Use of a blender is great, increasing surface area will improve decomposition speed. I would encourage you to use the bokashi method with your blended materials and then after 2-3 weeks (at room temp, longer if temps are lower, recognizing that freezing temps are too cold for the active porition of the process) and then add small amounts into your balcony containers. You will want to add some compost worms (just 50 or so is fine) along with a quality vermicompost at the start of the season to ensure the bokashi is rapidly broken down further and made plant available.
My apologies for the delay in responding to you, thank you for your patience!
My apologies for the delay in responding to you, thank you for your patience!
- Andrew
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A small worm bin is an excellent option if you are excluding meat, dairy, fats, and acids from your organics. You can also feed in small amounts to a worm bin. When feeding bokashi a good rule is leaving 60% of the surface of your worm bin untouched so the worms can go somewhere if they don't like the feed or its temporarily too acidic.