what to do with vegetable scraps other than composting?

[yonnielovesveggies]

Hi folks

I'm new to this forum and a total beginner to gardening.. and don't really know if this thread belongs under this topic but it's the nearest I can find.

I live in a small apartment in Beijing and don't think I can compost indoors without the smell of my disasters permeating the house.

But I don't want to just toss away my veg scraps/ egg shells either.

So can anyone advise whether vegetable food scraps can be simply mixed in with my potting soil to add nutrients? Is this likely to be harmful to my batch of plants/herbs/or whatever else I'm trying to grow?

I'm experimenting with growing batches of basil, sage, lettuce, rocket etc.. I'm wondering what the effect of adding veg scraps is likely to be.

So grateful for some guidance!

[Kisal]

This is just my opinion, but I think the scraps might not decompose quickly enough to provide a healthy environment for the roots of your plants. This is especially true if you're gardening in smaller containers. There is the potential for attracting insects and pests, too. In general, there is a minimum size under which composting doesn't work very well.

I suggest that you consider worm composting (vermicompost), or one of the other types of composting, such as bokashi. Neither method should emit odors, if done properly.

If your financial situation allows it, there are even automated indoor compost machines that grind food scraps and produce compost quite rapidly. You can probably find them by a search online.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost

[nickolas]

Hi folks

I'm new to this forum and a total beginner to gardening.. and don't really know if this thread belongs under this topic but it's the nearest I can find.

I live in a small apartment in Beijing and don't think I can compost indoors without the smell of my disasters permeating the house.

But I don't want to just toss away my veg scraps/ egg shells either.

So can anyone advise whether vegetable food scraps can be simply mixed in with my potting soil to add nutrients? Is this likely to be harmful to my batch of plants/herbs/or whatever else I'm trying to grow?

I'm experimenting with growing batches of basil, sage, lettuce, rocket etc.. I'm wondering what the effect of adding veg scraps is likely to be.

So grateful for some guidance!

If you are worried about a compost setup smelling, then based on my experience with adding veggie scraps in with potting soil, doing this will smell just as much as a compost setup that has to much nitrogen matter, but I could be wrong. But even if I am wrong or not I would suggest that you try a small-medium size worm farm depending on the amount of organic matter that you and your family produce. If you have a family of 3-7 people then a one bathtub worm farm will take care of all your organic matter disposal needs. Of course if you have very limited space you can use a small aquarium or a cooler box (esky) as a worm farm, the principles are the same.

Here is a link to a website that will tell you how to make a bathtub worm farm if you are interested otherwise if a bathtub worm farm is to big then, as mentioned previously the principles and methods can be down sized to make a smaller worm farm that might better suit your needs.
https://www.ecofilms.com.au/2010/08/08/building-a-worm-farm-in-a-bathtub/

[rainbowgardener]

I agree that worm composting is the method of choice in your situation and not hard to do (and no smell). I did a worm bin last winter for the first time.

If you type worm composting, vermicompost, worm bin etc into the Search the Forum Keyword Box, you will find lots written here about them, with instructions, etc.

Here's one to start you off that has links to instructions and other stuff:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=178711#178711

It's very self contained, works on a small scale (you don't have to do a whole bathtub's worth, just a plastic container), no smell, and you don't have to worry so much about greens and browns, just feed your kitchen scraps to your worms and get lovely worm castings back.

[yonnielovesveggies]

ok - thanks to everyone for taking the time to respond! How to track down a bunch of worms in China? I think this will be the real challenge.

Peace to you all

Yonnie

[Kisal]

Yonnie, I'm sure earthworms are plentiful in the soil of China. Do any of your friends or co-workers own a little piece of land where you could dig for some? Another place to look, which might be easier, is in wooded areas, where a blanket of fallen leaves has formed on the ground. Just lift the leaves out of the way and gather some of the worms. You don't need a huge number of worms to get started. They will multiply rapidly in your worm box.

[yonnielovesveggies]

Hi

Yes.. silly throw away remark. I'm sure there are plenty of worms in this country.

No one but the super super wealthy have backyards in Beijing where I live. Stepping on grass in parks is forbidden, so I don't think anyone will take too kindly to my digging in a public park. As for woodlands - I'd need to take a rather long excursion.

If I were back home in Australia, there'd be a farmers market where someone would just have a whole kit ready to go. In Beijing, it's far more complicated.

I'm going to ask all my Chinese friends whether they've even heard of the concept of composting - just out of interest.

[Tilde]

It might be easier to talk to a local equivalent of a garden shop; maybe there is a school with an agricultural or horticulture department?

Alternatively, look at ferment composting bokashi?

[john gault]

Hi

Yes.. silly throw away remark. I'm sure there are plenty of worms in this country.

No one but the super super wealthy have backyards in Beijing where I live. Stepping on grass in parks is forbidden, so I don't think anyone will take too kindly to my digging in a public park. As for woodlands - I'd need to take a rather long excursion.

If I were back home in Australia, there'd be a farmers market where someone would just have a whole kit ready to go. In Beijing, it's far more complicated.

I'm going to ask all my Chinese friends whether they've even heard of the concept of composting - just out of interest.

I'd be interested to hear their answer/reaction to this question.

[gixxerific]

Vermicomposting is a good option.

But just for the record my compost has never really gotten to the poitn of bothering me or anyone else. Just keep it mixed and the right (somewhat right) ratio and you will be fine.

[rainbowgardener]

Well I agree, gixx, but we don't have to compost inside a small apt. I have a bucket under the sink to put kitchen scraps in. It has a tight fighting lid, no air holes, no aeration and just has the scraps (greens) in it. Sometimes in the summer, if it has been a few hot days since it was emptied, it will knock you over to open that lid!

Trying to keep a small amount of compost properly balanced (green/brown, wet/dry) and aerated so that it doesn't smell, inside a small apt. would be a challenge. The worm bin would work much better if OP can find a few worms to start with. Hard for me to imagine a city with no place you could find a few worms, but I have not spent much time in any of the world class cities- New York, Mexico City, Beijing etc. Sounds so disconnected from nature...

[gixxerific]

Sorry I missed the part of it being "inside" the apartment.