Update: My neighbor's balcony worm bin made me rethink my whole setup

I was walking my dog last Tuesday in our building's hallway and saw my neighbor, Mr. Chen, on his balcony. He had this big plastic tub with a lid, and he was adding coffee grounds to it. I asked what it was, and he showed me his worm farm. He's had it for almost a year right there on his 4th floor balcony in Chicago. He said the key was using shredded junk mail as bedding and keeping it out of direct sun. I've been using a small countertop composter that you have to empty every week, but his system just keeps going. It made me realize I could handle a bigger volume of scraps without it being a hassle. Has anyone else switched from a small electric composter to a worm bin in an apartment? I'm worried about fruit flies.

2 comments

2 Comments

charlesb4210h ago

Fruit flies are easy to manage with a cover.

aaron_gonzalez7h ago

Well, a cover helps, but it's not a full fix. They can still breed in the drain or on a damp sponge. I've found you really need to clean all the nearby surfaces and take out the trash daily too.