Desktop Composting
Composting at work seems like an inconvenient and impossible task for anyone that doesn’t work at a farm, dude ranch, botanical garden or zoo. But the truth is that desktop composting is not only possible, but can cost you nothing and provide entertainment (add worms!), great potting soil, and a happy concience come Earth Day.
All you need is a decomposition column - an easy project made from three 2-liter bottles that’s from my favorite book that teaches basic scientific inquiry, Bottle Biology. (It was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation administered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison.)
Snacking on a banana at work because you missed breakfast? Compost the peel! Enjoy an afternoon tea? Compost the tea bag! Crossed off the list on the sticky note? Yup, you can compost that paper too. Throw it in your decomposition column and done.
The small holes made from safety pins allow air to flow while any fruit flies remain inside the column. Add a few worms, like red wigglers, to help accelerate the decomposition process.
A Decomposition Diversion
Add a cocoon or chrysalis that you find in the ground of your yard to the column, to observe a metamorphosis first-hand. We once had an office pool going on the hatch date.
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| Step One - Cut First Bottle |
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| Step Two - Cut Second Bottle |
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| Step 3 -Cut Third Bottle |
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| Assembled, Finished and Composting |
Thank you Veronica for showing this. I will be building one of these today! I am really excited about it.
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This is interesting! I would be very concerned about fruit flies though. We have a problem with fruit flies towards the fall. Still, it's cheap and maybe I will give it a try.
ReplyDeleteNice guest post!
Alana
ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
I thought it was really interesting too. I am going to try this project out and see what happens. I always need something to demo to kids about gardening and composting. I will give an update on my progress.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Don't get me wrong. There will be fruit flies but they will stay within the decomposition column as long as you lift the top and dump your compost quickly. That's the only time they can escape. If you use a safety pin to make the oxygen holes the flies will not be able to escape. At least that's my experience.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see what your experience will be. Keep me posted!
@Veronica - It looks like a lot of fun and I for one love experiments. Since we homeschool, my kitchen serves as a lab for all sorts of things from biology lab to chemistry and whatever else we sprout or hatch out in a jar. The composter will fit right in. -- BTW, just so you don't cringe... I'm pretty fanatical about keeping the kitchen clean while the lab drifts in and out of the area. :)
ReplyDelete