Compost & Worm Farming

Composting, Bokashi and Worm Farming

Various kits and set-ups are available for your recycling kitchen peelings and scraps at home, but know-how is the key. Free information leaflets are available from all City Council service centres or as PDFs to download:  Composting booklet  http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Waste/Composting/HomeComposting.asp

'NZ Box' slot-together timber compost box kits, capacity 1m x 1m x 1m, are available from  garden centres and timber/fencing suppliers. Also the Earthmaker 3-stage plastic compost bin from hardware stores. http://www.earthmaker.co.nz/

Worm Farming booklet http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Waste/Composting/WormFarming.asp

Earthly Delight – supplies large capacity, low-maintenance, timber boxes for worm compost, plus the Tiger worms, and advice. PO box 30131 Christchurch. Phone 03 942 7190 E: earthlydelight(at)paradise.net.nz   Talks and subsidy provided to Christchurch schools and preschools. www.earthlydelight.co.nz  "It takes 35,000 tiger worms to process 15 litres a week kitchen scraps from a family of four - they could be working for you to make new soil and a useful liquid fertiliser, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save on waste disposal costs in the long-term."

Bokashi NZ Ltd – provides Effective Micro-organism (EM) Bokashi fermentation systems. After a few weeks of fermentation in a sealed, drained bucket under a bench or in the garage the 'pickled' sweet-smelling waste can be buried safely under your garden soil, to feed plants. Ph 03 614 8122 www.bokashi.co.nz   E: info(at)bokashi.co.nz   City Council information booklets on Bokashi method: http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Waste/Composting/EMComposting.asp

Christchurch City Council sells EM Bokashi buckets and Bokashi 'CompostZing' bran supplies through all CCC service centres  http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Contact/ServiceCentres/ . Jeffreys Rd, Fendalton;  Langdons Rd, Papanui; Marshlands Rd, Shirley; Main South Rd, Sockburn; Smith Street, Linwood; London St, Lyttelton; or Rue Lavaud in Akaroa.

Christchurch Community Gardens – some gardens accept fermented Bokashi kitchen scraps, for use by those who don’t have garden space around their home to bury it.  Also some may accept very fresh fruit and vegetable scraps for composting on site (but not your weeds or garden prunings).  Important to phone first or visit garden manager, before dropping scraps off:

St. David's Street Garden, Lyttelton   Ph 021 039 1980
Strickland Street Garden, Spreydon    Ph 942 6630
Rawhiti Domain Garden, New Brighton   Ph 388 6506
Smith Street Garden, Linwood    Ph 027 256 5975  
Old Vicarage Garden, Governors Bay  Ph 329 9639
Opawa Road Garden    Ph 332 3314
 Also, a similar project:
Wai-Ora Trust, Watsons Rd    Ph 359 7407

In 2008, green garden waste can be transported by the car boot or trailer load to the EcoDepots, but some items are not accepted, such as flax and cabbage tree leaves, and lawn mowings containing herbicide.  See advice notes on this: http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Waste/Composting/CompostingAtRefuseStations.asp#1

New kerbside organic collection from March 2009
For details of what is or is not accepted at the kerbside, ask at Christchurch City Council service centres, or visit http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Waste/RubbishCollection/NewKerbsideCollectionService.asp
Key facts for city organics bin collection
http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Waste/KerbsideCollection/KeyFactsOrganics.asp 
Key facts for city rubbish bin collection http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Waste/KerbsideCollection/KeyFactsRubbish.asp