New terrace friend
The City of Nice, through La Maison de l’Environnement, is giving out free “individual” composters currently, as they do every year. (Several other French cities and communes do the same — check with yours. I’ve also heard of US and UK cities with similar composter giveaways.) You have to live in Nice (they request ID and proof of address) and have a garden, since you’ll need access to the bugs that make compost possible. They won’t ask to see your garden, but if you’re interested in the compost action actually working, you need a relatively large, ground-level garden/patio/terrace where bugs can get at the composter from underneath (the composter bottom has holes). Mine is in a corner with earth in the back, where I’ve seen plenty of bugs hanging out.
La Maison de l’Environnement is also requiring you register for a course to learn how to use the composter. It only takes a half an hour, and is worth it since you get to see composters in action, and visit their gardens at the same time. Then you get this 450-liter “individual” (it’s big, thus the scare quotes) composter.
I didn’t think it would be so big since the advertisements for them specifically say “individual”, but it’s all right. Composting takes a while; compost from it won’t be ready for use until 8-12 months from now. Considering all the fruit and vegetables I have and get at market, plus the piles of dead twigs and leaves I’ve pruned over the years, it’s a great addition. I’m looking forward to using compost from it to mix with earth and pot new plants next spring!
June 30th, 2008 at 00:02
I’d love to get a composter to use on my apartment balcony, but I’ve been afraid of the odor. You mention that to get it to work, you’ll need a ground-level space. Why does it need to be ground-level?
June 30th, 2008 at 06:49
Compost doesn’t stink if done correctly. I do say why it needs to be ground-level: it needs bugs from underneath! (I.e. creepy crawly bugs, who don’t go up walls or staircases, but hang around earth.)
July 4th, 2008 at 15:14
And if you get too much compost, you know where to give it away! :)