Composting in cold weather (NYC) (vegetable, squirrel, earthworms, yard)

[noelm]

Hello folks,

I live in a rented apartment (about 750sq.ft) and honestly there is no space in our apartment to stack up compost bins, plus DW is really wary of the smell (because the windows will be sealed during winter). We do have a balcony though.

Starting next month, I am going to do lots of vegetable juicing (for health issues). I don't feel like wasting all that fiber/left over. Hence planning to compost. I read up a lot on the web so I know how to do composting but my question is, how feasible this is in winter times? How freezing weather/snow affects composting? Sure, it will be very slow but how about smell/stink?

I live on 1st floor and we have tons of squirrels and a few of raccoon. Will that be an issue?

Any pointers are welcome.

Many thanks in advance.


P.S - Ideas on cheap composting bins are welcome. I plan to use cheap plastic trash bins with lid but if someone has better idea, will give it a try.

[AK-Cathy]

I compost here in Anchorage AK. We use an open three bin cedar and wire mesh system that my DH built. Compost does cool down and a slow pile freezes in the winter. You will have birds and other visitors raiding the pile unless you are able to bury your peels and rinds in something carbon, dried hay, old leaves, and the like. Our compost is primarily yard clippings (green nitrogen) and dried leaves (carbon) from the previous season. Kitchen waste is maybe 20% of our compost and it gets buried into the pile when we dump it.

Our pile gets quite warm (steams) and smells like hay, dirt or is odor neutral but I imagine a pile of merely kitchen waste would be far different and might be a nuisance. There is something that might fit your circumstances and that is vermiculture. It will need to be done indoors. I worked for a guy that did this and I did not notice an odor but it was in a big garage. Lots of info online. Here's a link: Vermicompost - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[aquietpath]

I agree.....composting with worms might work better for you in your situation. You can keep the bin under your kitchen sink. My neighbor does this and there is no smell whatsoever. I have seen ziploc bags filled with worm castings sold at farmers markets and gardening fairs, so if you make more than you can use, you could earn a little extra money as well.

[noelm]

Thank you folks,

How about mixing some of the food scraps with the planted soil and adding some earthworms in it?

I am pretty skeptical that DW will approve the idea of composting under the kitchen sink.