Subpod Mini Compost System. Outdoor Compost Bin & Worm Farm

Product Information

We have schools like Lindisfarne Grammar School in Northern New South Wales in Australia, who have set up a large school gardening project and composting system. They've chosen us as their composting partner, and have 42 Subpod installed around their school grounds! Their students add food waste to them, harvest the compost and grow lush plants and vegetables While some valid points are raised, this article overlooks one major benefit of Subpod: it makes composting incredibly appealing and inviting to new composters who otherwise wouldn’t pursue composting.

Hold off adding animal products for the moment such as meat, fish, or dairy in the beginning. At a later date when the system is thriving you can then add small amounts There seems to be a lot of confusion over what a SubPod is and does. SubPod is not a traditional composting system and arguably shouldn’t be compared with any of them. SubPod is a worm composting system used to deal with food waste and related organic material. It uses compost worms rather than heat-based decomposition to produce worm compost rather than traditional compost. SubPod is a vermicompost or vermiculture system. It’s not the same process and yet the manufacturers, in their UK promotional materials, seem to be trying g to compare the two as if they are the same. Worm composting is a separate thing. In British English we don’t use the word compost to describe worm compost or vermicompost systems. We tend to be more succinct and call it worm compost. Supporting Biodiversity: Compost is teeming with beneficial microorganisms, which contribute to soil health and biodiversity. By composting, you're supporting a whole ecosystem beneath your feet!

Subpod is a vermicomposting system

The speed of decomposition depends on many factors, from moisture content, oxygen levels and temperature. Without oxygen we get anaerobic decomposition and that can smell. The higher the temperature the faster the breakdown and compost formation. Engage with the Community: Join the Subpod community to share experiences, learn from others, and get support. Cotton wool balls and pads, tampons, toilet paper cores and even natural latex condoms and gloves can go into Subpod. Old clothing, face washers, napkins, tablecloths and very old towels can be used as long as they are made from natural fibres like cotton, tencel, linen, hemp or wool (no polyester, nylon, acrylic or blends) – just shred them into small pieces first. Washer and dryer lint is okay too, as long as it comes only from clothing made from natural fibres. One of the biggest reasons people don’t compost is they believe they don’t have enough space for it. But while it’s true the natural process of composting requires space and soil for the worms and microbes to do their thing with your food waste, it’s not a restriction anymore, thanks to Subpod!

Subpod® a below-ground worm farm that mimics conditions found in nature. Compost worms, working with diverse soil microbes rapidly turn organic waste into worm castings, which is rich food for the soil and your plants. At full capacity, after around three months, it will process up to 15kgs (30L) of food waste per week. Then there’s the issue about ensuring that dry carbon is used in the right carbon ratio and how sometimes dry carbon needs to be added if the compost gets too wet. Again, based on the number of questions people ask about this it doesn’t look like they find it easy. You comment about the above ground systems being more susceptible to heating. Correct, they are, simply because that’s the natural way in which composting works. Heat is created by the chemical and biological process of decomposition. Before we tell you how to give these guests a hint that it might be time for them to move along, we’d like to talk to you a little about the ecosystems found in soil and compost.

In fact, if the SubPod questions being asked online are indicative, people do experience various pests. If you find fire ants on your property in the area around the Subpod, rather than pesticides, try borax mixed with sugar: https://ants.com/using-borax-powder-to-kill-ants/ The more thoroughly you stir your food waste into the bedding, the less likely you will have a problem with flies and other insects. If you add a bit more moist bedding (moist carbon), it is easier to bury the food waste thoroughly when you are first getting going.

Plus there’s the need for a video that explains what to do if the worms are overfed. And the need to use worm blankets keep the worms happy in the worm garden. Have you researched other large compost systems, as most of them are at a similar price if not more? And I do like the company’s vision of a world where composting and the composting process is a part of everyday life. It already is in my family and has been for decades. We hate food waste. Above-ground systems are more susceptible to heating and loss of moisture. This means, more oxygen gets used up and the system can slip into an anaerobic phase. Of course, you can help manage this by aerating it, keeping it moist and adding more carbon. But for some people this is a lot of effort… so they end up stopping composting completely.Start Small: If you're new to composting, start with small amounts of waste and gradually increase as you become more comfortable with the process. As I said earlier I like anything that encourages people to grow their own veg and deal with food waste. And when they provide YouTube videos to explain the system I give them a vote straight away. That’s got to be positive.