Ramblings

Composting kitchen scraps

Normally, left over vegetable matter can be thrown directly onto the compost heap. However, where we live here in South Africa, this attracts unwanted pests like blue-flies and rats. To get around this, I use a container with a fairly easy to remove lid, with the bottom cut off. This container is then placed in the compost heap, and kitchen scraps are placed in the container.

The container in the compost heap (Pic courtesy of Pat)

The container with the lid removed (Pic courtesy of Pat)

When the bin is full (as shown in the previous pic), take a handful of leaves from the compost and place it on top of the kitchen scraps. Press these leaves down to break up things like egg shells, and so compress the scraps. While doing this, lift the container up.

A handful of leaves to cover the kitchen scraps (Pic courtesy of Pat)

Press down on the leaves to compress kitchen scraps (Pic courtesy of Pat)

Lift the container while holding down the leaves and kitchen scraps (Pic courtesy of Pat)

Container removed, with the kitchen scraps hidden (Pic courtesy of Pat)

Prepare a new hole in the compost for the container, and place the container in the hole, filling up any gaps around the container.

A new hole for the compost bin (Pic courtesy of Pat)

The container in its new home (Pic courtesy of Pat)

The covering of leaves on the kitchen scraps is amazingly effective at keeping the flies and rats away from these scraps.

(updated: 9 July 2022)

Update

Unfortunately, very shortly after Pat took the pictures above, when I was replacing the lid it disintegrated in my hand. The African sun is quite harsh on plastics, but it served us well for around 18 months.

Pat found a new, similar sized bucket (around 10L), at the local Crazy Store for R59. Let's see how long it lasts.

The new container

(updated: 17 August 2022)