Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Worms are a Girl's Best Friend

You know what would look great in my apartment?

A composter full of worms, of course.

Since we live in an apartment, a regular compost bin is basically out of the question. We have neither space nor dirt enough to run it properly. But a worm composter is a little easier. Instead of waiting for microbes to break down your vegetable scraps in a matter of weeks, worms can do it in a few days. Also, worms are way cuter than microbes.
Awwww....

If you as fascinated by compost as I am, you might want to check out this article about choosing a composter (granted, it's written by a store, but it seemed helpful) before you decide. For apartments like mine, they recommend something like the Worm Chalet. (Makes you think of little worms in ski boots, sitting around the fireplace, sipping après-ski cocktails, right?)

Also, here's an article about composting in the city. Not as sexy as Sex and the City, but ultimately way more useful.

The only downside is that they do their magic best when kept warm... so they would have to come inside for the winter. Dustin feels that worms are outdoor pets, so until we have a spare utility closet we might have to wait. Oh well, a girl can dream of worm farming, can't she?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

some friends of mine did this, except instead of an actual composter they used a big rubbermaid. It was a good idea in theory (and worked well in the warmer months) but the unexpected Drosophila issues made it a bit of a challenge to deal with once the worms had to come inside for the winter. I don't know if this problem is avoidable with the actual composter meant for the purpose - maybe they have some sort of built in fruit fly control.
Elena

Faye said...

Well, from what I read in the guide, it appears that the solution to not getting fruit flies is to not compost fruit. If you just stick to veggie scraps, you won't get them... or at least, that's what they claim. Haven't tried it either way myself.

metheus said...

Well, the Nature Mill indoor composter is an option, although an expensive one ($300 -- yow!). It's a mildly heated and actively vented (air goes through a filter, so no smell). I'm strongly considering it, but I'd be saving up for it.

Faye said...

Wow! That's really great! Thanks for the tip Metheus, I might have to start saving my nickels for one too. :D