Gulay Girl: A Young Vermicomposter's Photo Album

I love composting! I used to save my biodegrable garbage in containers (but now I just use the garbage can - I don't need to segregate garbage in my kitchen anymore because practically all of my kitchen refuse is biodegradable). My preferred method of composting is direct soil incorporation, but now, instead of digging each time, I throw everything in a compost pit that is all soil. (There is a side story about that too, but I don't want to stray too far from this topic which is...)

Now that school's out, your kids age 9 and up might want to consider it as a summer activity! Who knows? It might grow into a lifelong passon :D Hehe! Wouldn't that be something?

With her family's permission, I am sharing the photos and captions (provided by her dad-with minimal editing!) of this young vermicomposter's project last year. For the family's privacy, she will be referred to as MYC - Ms. Young Composter.

Enjoy reading!

First you get TWO bins.
The more opaque the bins the better it is for the in-the-bin community.
(We got lesser opaque bins to see the side and witness how trash is 'transformed' to soil.)

Anyways, to rectify this,
we will wrap manila paper around the bins so they will have their privacy.

Using a drill, put holes around the bin (of the one bin only).

Drill holes on the side-top portion (6 per length, 4 per width)
Drill holes on the cover (14 holes)
Drill holes on the bottom (5 holes).

Holes are for air circulation as well as water to seep through.

Others usually do not do this anymore.
But we covered the holes with mosquito net & sealed it with tape.
Note that this is an indoor bin.
Mahirap ng may makalusot.
hehehe :-)

On the second bin,
put support before putting the other bin on top.
We do this to create space for air circulation.

Now to put the housing bin on top. :-)

Voila!

Then the household trash.
First, create the bedding -- ideal bedding are cut up paper, carton, etc.
Spread it evenly.

Then moisten the paper based bedding.

Then add the kitchen, garden trash.

Mental note.
For next cycle, get gloves for Miss Young Composter
So that it is easier for her to handle trash!!

Plastic gloves!! Hahaha! MYC na MYC!

Spread the garden and kitchen trash evenly.

"Now that is 1 layer of paper trash + kitchen/garden trash.
Now, do the same procedure 3 times."

Add paper trash again, moisten the paper, then add the layer of kitchen/garden trash...
and so on.

Let it SIT for 1 to 2 weeks
before adding 1 kilo worm. :-)

Why sit for 1 or 2 weeks?
To let the decomposition happen.

Hmm.
But after 1 week, I think it is OK already to add the new house mates. :-)