Image: Ros, a volunteer at EnviroHouse with the three compost systems available which residents in Switch Your Thinking Councils get discounts on.

Composting at home is a fantastic way to make the most of your organic household and garden waste, improve your soil, save water, create free fertiliser for your plants and reduce your impact of waste on the environment all at the same time! There are three easy methods you can try: Bokashi composting, worm farms, and compost bins. They’re all great for the environment and for your garden and there are discounts available for Armadale residents. Read on to learn more about these systems.

Let’s start with Bokashi composting. It’s a process where you ferment your organic waste using special microorganisms. The great thing about Bokashi is that it can handle all sorts of kitchen waste, like meat, dairy, and cooked food scraps as well as fruit and vegetable scraps. That means you can compost almost everything from your kitchen and reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill! An added bonus is that Bokashi composting gives you a nutrient-rich liquid fertiliser called Bokashi tea. You can dilute it and use it to water your plants, giving them all the good stuff they need. Plus, Bokashi composting is pretty quick. You can have compost ready to use in just a few weeks. Designed in Japan, Bokashi composting is a great option for smaller properties such as apartments and units where space may be an issue.

Now, let’s talk about worm farms, or vermicomposting – a fancy term for using worms to break down your organic waste. This method is great if you have a garden and want brilliant compost and fertiliser for your plants. Worms are like little composting machines. They can eat up all sorts of stuff, like fruit and veggie scraps, coffee grounds, and even shredded paper. The best part about worm farms is that they give you worm casting, an amazing compost by-product. It’s like gold for your plants! It improves the soil, helps retain water, and gives your plants the nutrients they need to thrive. Worm farms also give you Worm Tea, the liquid generated by the worms breaking down organic matter. Worm tea is full of micro and macro nutrients, making it a brilliant liquid fertiliser for plants when diluted one part worm tea with nine parts water. Worm farms can also fit neatly in smaller spaces, like your balcony or backyard.

Last but not least, we have compost bins. These are your classic composting method. You have a container where you put your organic waste, like kitchen fruit and vegetable scraps and garden waste like leaves, pruning’s and grass clippings. You can mix it up and let it decompose naturally. Compost bins are great because they can handle a wide range of organic materials and they’re easy to manage. Plus, they’re perfect for those who have a larger space, like a backyard or garden.

Composting at home, whether with Bokashi, worm farms, or compost bins, has so many benefits. It reduces waste, helps the environment, and gives you beneficial compost for your garden. Plus, it saves you money on waste disposal and buying fertilizers. And let’s not forget the satisfaction of seeing your food scraps turn into valuable soil stuff! So, whether you have limited space or a big backyard, composting at home is a very rewarding way to do your part for the environment. Give it a try and see how it transforms your waste into something amazing!

Now that you know more about these systems, why not get one for your home? Head to the Rewards for Residents page to find out how to claim your discount.

Blog credit: Nadine from EnviroHouse.