There are many factors to consider when choosing a composting method that is right for you.  But what are those factors? And how do they effect whether you’re using a compost tumbler or red wigglers? Well hold your horses! First off, it’s best to know what composting methods are out there.

1. Passive Composting (Cool)- Put your kitchen scraps and grass clippings into a section of your yard and let nature take it’s course. There will be earth worms and some heat but not a lot of either. This process, as it sounds, is easy and takes a lot of time.
2. Active Composting (Hot)- This process takes some more effort on your behalf, but you get your compost cooking quickly and at temperatures between 113 F and 158 F. This makes your scraps break down quickly to get your golden compost soil anywhere between 2-8 weeks.
3. Vermicomposting (Worms)- Worms eat kitchen scraps and make compost out of their butt. How awesome are they?? Very. They don’t need much space, but are temperature sensitive. Red wigglers (Eisenia Foetida) are the best. You’ll have to make a bin that they enjoy with the proper bedding and aeration.
   

Here are some of the most crucial things to look at before making your choice:

1. Space. How much space are you willing to commit to composting? Are you indoors/outdoors?
2. Time. How quickly do you want to see your kitchen scraps turn to gold?
3. Money. Composters can cost upwards of $500. What are you willing to invest?
4. Effort. How much effort are you willing to put into your new composting hobby?

Less Space, Less Time, Less Money, Less Effort = (G)ood

(G)ood, (M)ediocre, (B)ad

In Conclusion:

Hot Composting: If you’re willing to front the cost for a nice compost tumbler and have the room for it on your porch (typically 3ft x 3ft) it’s a great way to go! You will need to keep the proper amount of carbon and nitrogen ingredients to make sure the heat is on. You also need to keep it turning and aerated.

Worm Composting: If you have a little less space, or are only indoors, worms is the way to go. You need to worry less about making sure the proper amount of carbon/nitrogen components are together, and the worms go about there business with less effort on your behalf. Once you finish the initial setup it just about takes care of itself.

Cool Composting: You can do this in the balcony if you’re interested, but even if you do this in 5-gallon buckets you will keep filling them up and not be able to empty them. If you do this in 5-gallon buckets you will also need to be smart about adding the proper layering of carbon on top of your nitrogen filled kitchen scraps. It will end up taking up a lot of space though, and you can be holding onto those buckets for a year or more before having compost hummus.

Posted on Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 at 4:46 pm under Composting, Systems. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.