Composting Inside & Out: 14 Methods to Fit Your Lifestyle

by Stephanie Davies

Rethink Your Refuse

Hundreds of millions of tons of solid waste are produced in the U.S. annually, and the landfills simply store it, not eliminate it. Recycling diverts significant amounts of waste, but the fact remains that the majority of landfill space is occupied by organic material. The good news is composting is a natural and beneficial way to eliminate this waste, and anyone can do it.

Whether you live on a farm, in the suburbs or a city apartment, composting is possible. Composting Inside and Out will introduce you to the essentials and explore various methods of indoor and outdoor composting to help you find the perfect fit for your lifestyle.

Inside you'll find:


A compete overview of the composting process
Advice on finding the right equipment
Step-by-step instruction for fourteen different composting methods
Ideas for using the soil you produce
Quick answers to common problems
Whether you create a compost heap, bury your scraps, ferment them, tumble them or feed them to the worms, you too can be successful with composting. Use the fruits of your labor on you houseplants, your lawn, your flowerbeds or your garden. Put your waste and your energy to good use. Reclaim the benefits of participating in the planet's health through composting--its rewards are simply miraculous.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Reference, Self Help

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 24, 2011

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up from the library, because some of my co-workers have indoor worm bins. I am thinking about starting one, but wanted to read more about it first. So far I'm disappointed in this book.

I was expecting a book with the facts on composting. About the first 80 pages had little to no facts and made an emotional appeal about why you should compost. The author made outrageous claims that composting is good for you physically and spiritually...oh did I forget to say she knows this because she is a doctor. She mentions several times that she knows it is beneficial because she is a doctor; yet, she never mentions what type of doctor or any of her credentials. The book even says by Stephanie Davies not Dr. Stephanie Davies.

This book just kept on repeating the same things over and over again. It repeated the same ideas and descriptions so many times, it became difficult to distinguish between the chapters. Over half of the book was a waste of time.

There were some good facts in this book, but it would be faster to look at Wikipedia or Google the subject.

[Temoca · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me this has been the best book to read up on composting. I have had a compost pile for a few years but this spring I hope to start a school/community garden. I thought reading up on composting would help me have a better understanding and help the kids get started.

The information is thorough and I hope to use two different styles of composting at school. I also like that this book will help the kids better understand composting so when they are explaining the process to others they will not only have the experience of running their own comopost piles but also have this book to break down the process for them.

This is just an aside, I love that I picked this book up from my local indie bookstore.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Davies presents a history of composting aand many od its facets. She discusses composting both indoors and outdoors. This is a nice introduction for the home owners and small gardener.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was informative. I could have done without the lecture about the benefits of composting and the excessive use of exclamation points.

The author does a good job at breaking down the different types of composting that you can do. I was sad to learn that worm composting won't work outside since the temperatures are too hot here and there is no way I am going to worm compost inside. I'm looking forward to starting a compost bin and I am sure all of her tips will come in handy.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a nice introduction to the importance of composting. I am ashamed to admit that I have gone my entire life without realizing that organic material can not decompose in a landfill. How did I never know that?! So a big thank you to this book. Also, it gives an introduction to how to compost, covering major considerations such as your location, your family's size, and your uses for compost. I was happy that it pointed me, a non-gardener, to composting mechanisms that can just be left alone and which I do not have to remove the compost to spread in a garden. I am further researching those products now.
As for the criticism - the book is just too long. I agree with other one-and two- star reviews which point out how redundant the writing is. I found myself rolling my eyes at entire paragraphs and frequently thinking that this could have better been boiled down into several articles rather than an entire book. Also, the book design was distracting. Color choices for some of the pages, while fitting with the theme, were often hard on my eyes - way too many dark brown pages for example! I recommend you borrow this one from a friend or local library and be prepared to skim.

[Amelia Stefanac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book from the library because I am starting a composting business (I don't imagine I'll make a lot of profit; it is more out of environmental concern). As many others have mentioned, I do feel like the first 40-50 pages could be skimmed - for readers not as attuned to the importance of composting and the environment, maybe this could be informative but most people picking up this book do not fit into that category. The rest, though, I thought was informative and presented in an interesting manner, with plenty of noteworthy facts and quotes. I left the book having gained quite a lot of new knowledge on the subject (I have composted my entire adult life and have already made an indoor worm bin), and a good boost of confidence. I think it was a worthy read on composting and its different methods, focused on vermiculture. All in all, I think it is quite inspiring all the work that the author has done to promote composting - I admire her entrepreneurial spirit, and enjoyed her stories from her experiences.

[Aprilleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best treatment of vermicomposting I’ve seen so far, which isn’t surprising considering this author’s background (her nickname is The Urban Worm Girl). The book covers a lot more than worms, however, including a couple of pages about humanure (not for me, but do look it up if you’re serious about reducing your impact on the environment).

The books covers a lot of material, and it’s very readable, but I see this more as a book to get someone excited about composting rather than a reference that will be referred to over and over again. There are other books that cover the same material with stronger emphasis on the process. But if you want a worm bin, definitely read through this book first.

[Desiree Wills Velazco · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book was hard to get through. It was a lot more emotional pleas than actual science. It was also very repetitive. I wish the editor had cut out much more of this book to shorten it and leave it with just the relevant and helpful information because the information given in this book was beneficial. It was just a pain to have to sift it out.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second half of the book was far more interesting and gives you some great ideas for how to get started or continue your composting journey. If you are already thinking about composting I don’t think you need the emotional plea to do so in the first half.

[Audra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informationally and educationally rich, but could use some basic grammar and sentence construction editing.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE THIS BOOK!

I expected it to be just a 'pretty face' in the world of composting books, which it sort of is, in a way. It makes composting a very personal, yuppie thing to do - keeping a worm box as good company! But my eyes were opening to the huge impact the composting can have, even without a garden to use it in. I always thought that a few banana peels in the garbage would just help our huge land fills decompose, but modern land fills don't have air to decompose at all. The banana peels just get petrified along with everything else. Stephanie Davies makes it very simple and fun to take care of those banana peels ourselves!

[Kala · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title of this book is quite misleading. I got it from the library because I was interested in learning more about composting. While the author does speak quite a bit about it, this book is really only useful if you want to worm compost inside of your house. I'm more interested in composting outside and while that was mentioned (VERY BRIEFLY), the main focus of this book is on worms (yes, we know you are the Urban Worm Girl, thanks for telling us ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED TIMES).

I read the entire thing and still have a ton of questions about outdoor composting, so I returned it to the library and got a different book.

[Sheela Word · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly comprehensive and persuasive. The author describes how to implement various methods of composting (Bokashi, worm bins, outdoor heaps, etc.), the difference between aerobic and anaerobic decomposition, and how best to use different types of compost products (leaf mold -- who knew?).

Davies is both polemical and empathetic, arguing vehemently for the environmental benefits of natural waste processing, while also presenting a kind of graduated composting scale, so that even the busiest and most squeamish city-dweller can do a little something.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are thinking about composting & think that you can't do it... you should read this book! it is very well written. Other composting books that I have gotten, I have found to be boring, but this book is not at all. It keeps your attention and makes you want to compost! It shows that ANYONE (whether you live in an apartment, a townhouse, in the suburbs, or on a farm) can compost! We plan on getting our composting started ASAP now!

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent guide to the topic of composting. Not so much a beginner's How To guide as a "why you should do it, what it is, Why You Should Do It, how to basics, WHY YOU SHOULD DO IT"... Contains some info on worms as well. Good for getting your mind around the entire concept and some thoughts on how to go about starting and even some more advanced bits on temperature regulations and bacteria/microbes.

[Gayle Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good information about all kinds of composting. I was interested to see that I was already doing a couple of these: grasscycling, where you mow, but just leave your cut grass on the lawn instead of bagging it; and leaf mulching, where you put your dry leaves around shrubs and trees as mulch instead of bagging them and putting them on the curb. I'm looking forward to starting vermiculture, composting with worms.

[Amy Stinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that helps increase knowledge of how important reducing our waste is! Although the author known as the "Urban Worm Girl" discusses all types of composting, she goes into the most detail about vermiculture or worm composting, her specialty. Super easy to read and you learn so much! Highly recommend it! You will definitely want to start composting after reading this book!

[Jocie · Rating 4 out of 5]

YIKES! "Biodegradable" things do not break down in a landfill. Not even corncobs. It is too compact and dry to have any of that kind of action going on.

I learned a lot of similar treasures from this book, but she is mostly an expert in indoor worm composting, and I am interested in big outdoor piles.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, easy-to-read for those of us who are new to composting. This is a good beginning source covering all the basics. There are some useful lists included to explain such things as carbon to nitrogen rations, which is all mostly a blur to me. The author takes the mystique out of composting in order to encourage everyone to participate on some level.

[Erin Stuhlsatz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not actually prepared to read this much about composting. It did get old.

The worm sections were interesting (because I have wormies), and the author seemed VERY knowledgeable, especially about worms.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very accessible book about the home art (or science?) of composting.

[Emily Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chalk full of information; easy to read; repetitive at times. I'm left feeling well equipped to start my first worm bin.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good info.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has some good information but the author repeats herself a lot. Could have presented the info in about half the space.

[Daniella]

Great overview of compositing and worm care. I'm looking forward to applying this to my compost pile!

[Fiona · Rating 1 out of 5]

As per another persons review, the title is misleading.

[Kristin Mcelderry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really helpful tips to get started on composting.

[Marci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good info. Heavy on the worms.

[Angie Acosta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked it overall, but there needs to be more pictures!!!!

[Tory · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book, while informative, was misleading. I was hoping for tips and how-to's for my outside compost. It mainly focused on worm composting (not mentioned on the cover) and only touched on some basics or troubleshooting in a few pages.