food waste composter

[forgotten_aria]

I would like to get a composter.

I know know nothing about composters other than they seem to be very expensive, so I need to know enough to get what I want. Any advice?

Comments

[forgotten-aria.livejournal.com]

The latter mostly, but I'd also like 1) to look reasonable 2) not to smell or great large numbers of flies.

[jered]

I have one of the ones like the city of Somerville subsidises. It's a big black box. It doesn't smell or have lots of flies -- don't put non-vegetable matter in and that won't be a problem.

I haven't taken any compost out yet, because I haven't needed it, it doesn't fill quickly (scraps shrink quite a lot), and you do have to aerate and water it for fast results. But, it was super cheap ($30?). If you want fast compost you can get one of those tumbling ones, but when I looked at them they were like $120-$150, which is just ridiculous.

[blk]

Regarding smell and flies...
A healthy compost doesn't actually smell bad. Generally the only time I notice a smell from mine is when I have recently dumped in a lot of moldy stuff (old science experiments from the fridge, as opposed to regular kitchen waste) or overloaded it with too thick of grass clippings (and it molds). As long as you don't put in dairy, meat, or mammal waste, it shouldn't really smell much or attract many flies.

Flies will be primarily be attracted to food waste that is just starting to decompose, and which is left as the top layer. I do get flies when I toss out an extra large chunk of food waste (like two dozen lemon skins after making lemonade). But it can be taken care of earily by regular tossing, or by just making sure to intersperse a layer of yard waste with your food waste.

That said, both of these issues will be reduced even further by getting a composter that is enclosed and can be turned easily, as others have mentioned before.