How to make use of kitchen scrap to best use

When I started gardening, I decided to invest very less and reap more benefits. This was my concept. Sometimes urban gardening is expensive; it involves costs in buying seeds, plants, mulch, manure, compost, garden tools, insecticide and many more depending on what you are growing in the garden. My concept is zero budget gardening. I did not want to invest more in my garden. I want to recycle as much as I can. I always look for better ways of using the waste. Even my kitchen bowls are used in my garden. I use them as pots. The compost I buy from the supermarkets was not effective and had to buy more and more to make my plants grow healthy. I started researching about composting at home. I have tried 3 methods and would like to share my experience:

I read an article in one of the Indian newspapers two years ago about waste management, that article made me think how I can contribute to reduce that waste from my end. The article was about how dump yards are growing in the world and its impact on the current and future generations. From then, I think twice before throwing any waste. I threw most of the plastic cups and bowls from my kitchen cupboard and started thinking organic. I have decided to recycle as much as I can; including the kitchen scraps I get from vegetables. I started researching various methods of composting the kitchen scraps. We have a small backyard and wanted something to fit into that place. I have tried the below three methods and finally stuck with one method:

Pit composting: for this type of composting, holes or trenches are dug to bury the waste. I used to dig the place to cover it with the waste I have and forget about it. It decomposes in the ground and increases the fertility of the soil. This method is cost free; you do not need to invest any dollar on it. However, I found problem with this method, having a small garden and the occupancy rate of my garden with plants is more than 80%. I did not find enough place to dig and bury the waste that comes more frequently. I get about 4 kilos of waste every week. Most of my cooking is done in the evenings; it was hard for me to go out in the garden during that time in winters. If you have bit of big garden with easy access, this is a good and cost free method.

Closed Bins Compost:   These bins are available in garden supermarkets in different sizes and shapes.  When I started first, I made one myself at home to try out. I had an old 10L storage box made with plastic. I made small holes at the bottom of the box and to the lid. I started putting the kitchen scraps in them; they started decomposing very quickly in summer and slower in winter. I used to put dry leaves, kitchen scrap and also any garden waste I get from my garden. Somehow I didn’t find this method satisfactory. I had placed the box in one of the corners of the garden, when it rains, it used to smell and harvesting the compost was not that easy. I had to stop putting the waste after certain time to decompose the whole material, empty it and start again. It was not an easy process.

Vermicomposting: My favorite method of decomposing the waste. I went to garden supermarket to see various products available for composting. I saw this lovely bin with 2 compartments made of plastic. In the same aisle I have found the worms packed in the box. I asked couple of questions to the expert in the area; he said it was easy to compost. I bought them in the month of June last year. I was really excited after getting the product home. I assembled the bin and put the worms as per the directions on the pack. Initially, I was bit concerned about worms and their survival rate. I used to check them every day. Initially I serve them little scraps as they were babies. Eventually I increased the quantity and now I throw scrap as and when I get it and the worms eat them in no time. Eventually the worms doubled in number within 6 months. Now I get compost every two months and compost tea almost every alternate day to serve my plants. I mix one part of compost tea to 3 parts of water and provide to the plants. 

I have initially invested $68.00 for bin and $29.9 for worms. After that I bought only one bag of cheap compost for $3.00 to sprinkle some in the compost bin. I use this when my bin is too wet then I add bit of dust to make it to right consistency. I have already harvested 3-4 times compost and big batch of compost tea. I have got one more batch waiting to be emptied. I am pretty sure my initial investment would get paid off within a year of purchase.