Waste Not, Want Not!

It’s that-time-of-year when I start emptying out the large tubs on the balcony, accumulating and mixing the soil into an over-winter bin, where it can lie fallow until the spring.

The process involves sieving the material, and I usually end up with a couple of cubic feet of coarse clumps of soil, desiccated chicken bones, and scraps of plastic.

This year instead of tossing it out I’ve decided to reclaim it through two channels – casting AND worm tea simultaneously!

I have grabbed the clear-plastic bag liner from a one cubic foot carton of kitty-litter.

It sits in the hand basin in the executive washroom; I want to know that there are no leaks.

Yet.

Here’s the carton with one corner cut away. The triangular scraps go into the vermicomposter, of course.

One corner of the plastic liner will protrude through this hole.

Here’s an old kitchen rack I’ve been using for a pot-stand on the balcony this past summer.

A Second Use for Everything.

The liner goes into the carton standing on the rack.

About six inches of one corner of the liner is pulled out and dangles over the basin.

A two—litre tub will collect the tea.

I fill the box with paper scraps, because this will be a vermicomposter.

I throw on the scraps from preparation of last night’s supper (shish-kabobs with chicken, tomato, mushroom, green peppers, red peppers, zucchini and onion, plus the tea bags from last night and the coffee grounds from this morning).

I’m not planning on using this for serious vermicomposting, but the worms may as well have a little something to get them started.

Here is a tub of coarse material, sitting on the balcony.

In past years I would have sent this downstairs to the dumpster.

I take about a gallon and a half of the coarse material indoors.

The coarse material sits atop the kitchen scraps, atop the paper scraps.

I have a rectangle of cardboard which I’ll use to shut out the light.

What better way to moisten the whole affair than with a Water Bottle Drip-Feeder ?

I made a pin-prick hole about two inches up from the bottom corner.

Since I’ll be using the compost tea in my Water Bottle Drip-Feeder the bottom two inches of the bag corner will serve as a sump to collect stray bits of soil or castings.

I’m betting that the worms will stay away from the wetness at the base of the bag and won’t venture into my collector tube.