Since the spring I have been using the Bokashi method for composting my food waste, ie: cooked food, meat scraps etc and have found it great. The runner beans planted over a batch of Bokash were the best ever so I am trenching for next years beans and burying a tub every few feet.
I have a wonderful compost bin built by DH and DS from pallets and all my garden and veggie waste goes in there but the Bokashi deals with all that 'stuff' that makes the dustbin smelly.
http://www.recycleworks.co.uk/bokashi-compost-buck.....16185.html
Ignore the bucket add, this describes the Bokashi system. Basically you add an EMs bran (don't ask, I don't know either) to a sealed bin with kitchen waste in layers. The waste 'pickles' and after 21 ish days you can bury it in your garden or in a compost bin and it rots down really quickly. I don't put veg peel etc in only the cooked and meat waste and they can then go in the garden too, meaning even less in the wheely bin. I also made my own buckets rather than pay £30 or more for one.
Does that mean that you have to buy the EM bran? Our Council has recently given everyone a green wheelie bin that we should use for garden and food waste (cooked variety) which is collected every week and taken to a sealed, heated composter. I only put a small portion of my garden waste in, just the large things that would take ages to decompose in my bin. I think it might be a good idea but am not entirely sure.
I'll try that again!
depends on how much waste you produce. I have 3 and it takes me about 2 weeks to fill one. I have used the 5 gal tubs that my son's tropical fish salt comes in. Just add a waterbutt tap at the bottom, find a circle of something to make an inner base with small holes, I used the lid of another tub and made holes with a hot skewer. Rest this on some little plastic flower pots so it sits just above the tap outlet and fill away. The bran comes in 1kg bags and each one lasts me at least 2 months usually 3 'cos I use a little less than recommended! As it 'pickles' it makes a 'tea' that is good as plant food when diluted or put down outside drains for the EMs (don't ask, I still don't know:) ) to keep the bacteria down.
It's Bokashi bran, available from lots of sites. Shop around for good deals. If your local authority do compost bins they may have it. Mine comes from either Wiggly Wigglers (?) or Organics (?) Having a blank moment, colds do that to me but Google Bokashi and you will probably find more than you ever wanted to know.
Almost any lidded bucket can be used but it must be airtight. The resulting 'pickle' does not rot down in the bucket but when dug into the ground or buried in the compost bin it rots really quickly. Some people don't like the smell but it just smell yeasty, a bit like wine must, to me anyway. The 'tea wiffs a bit but nettle or comfrey tea does too!
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