I’ve been using my Lomi for several months now, and I’m obsessed with it. Sometimes, I’ll even do two cycles in one day. Every time I dump my food waste in there, I simply don’t believe it will become nutrient-rich dirt… but it does!
Since I’ve been using it 4-7 times a week for several months now, I’ve gotten really good at knowing what to put in Lomi and some secret tips and tricks for using it. I didn’t want to keep these golden nuggets of wisdom to myself, so here I am… sharing it with you!
Below are 6 different tips and tricks to make sure you’re doing when you use your very own Lomi.
1. Don’t forget to add a little bit of water when using LomiPods.
Everything and everyone needs a little water… including LomiPods.
LomiPods work best when you add 50ml of water before you start your cycle. This is about 3 tablespoons. This will help your LomiPod work its magic. Read the next tip to learn how to properly add the water to Lomi.
2. Use LomiPods to create the highest quality fertilizer.
Speaking of LomiPods, you’re going to want to add one whenever you’re using Lomi dirt for your plants! While Lomi can be run without a LomiPod, adding one creates so many benefits to the end product, so it’s beneficial to pop one in.
LomiPods are a revolutionary blend of beneficial microorganisms like bacteria and fungi that fortify your dirt with all the microbes that your plants need.If you’re looking for an in-depth article about what LomiPods do & how it affects the end product, read this!
With or without LomiPods, your waste won’t produce odors. I promise you… Lomi doesn’t smell. I have mine in my kitchen running and I never smell anything funky coming from it.
Simply pop your LomiPod on top of your food waste, pour that 50ml of water overtop and close the lid. Lomi will do the rest.
Bonus tip: Be sure to put the LomiPod on top of the food waste, not at the bottom of the bucket or the blend of beneficial microorganisms won’t work correctly.
3. Add Lomi Approved paper products and browns to equalize the food waste.
Did you know that you can add some browns into your Lomi cycle? In my house, we don’t buy paper towels, but when we go out to eat, we always bring our old, used napkins home with us. If the napkin is compostable and Lomi Approved, we throw those into Lomi to help soak up any extra wet foods and I think it’s the secret to our Lomi dirt being so luscious.
Brown waste is rich in carbon, an essential element in all things, but especially soil. Green waste is rich in nitrogen.
It’s also great to add house plant clippings, lawn trimmings, old flowers, and leaves.
4. Cut your big pieces of food waste into smaller pieces.
When throwing food into Lomi, here’s a tip for you… cut large pieces up. I’ve found that when I cut larger pieces like Kale stems or leaves of lettuce, the finished product is much better.
When you cut the biggest pieces of food up, it allows Lomi to run properly. The food pieces won’t get stuck during the grinding process.
Some foods to cut into smaller pieces include:
- Kale stems
- Lettuce leaves
- Carrot tops
- Broccoli stocks
- Flower stems
- Any Lomi Approved compostables
When it doubt, cut it up. That’s what I do and the dirt that comes from my Lomi is always *chefs kiss*.
5. Choose your cycle wisely.
Choosing your cycle is one of the most important things when using Lomi. Your cycle always depends on what foods are going into Lomi, what you plan to do with the dirt after Lomi is finished, and whether or not you’re composting bioplastics.
If you’re going to run a Lomi-approved cycle, it’s important to not stuff Lomi full of only these bioplastics. Lomi still needs food waste in this cycle to be able to run properly. A ratio of 10% bioplastics to organic waste is optimal and should not be exceeded. When I was composting Lomi packaging with Lomi, it took me a few cycles to get rid of all the packaging.
Remember, composting bioplastics is a marathon, not a sprint. Take your time, use enough food waste and go slowly.
6. Leave your bucket for three cycles.
This final tip, I just learned myself this past week! Previously, after every Lomi cycle, I would take the dirt and mix it into my potted plant or garden soil, or throw it in my compost bin. But, I read that you can leave your Lomi dirt in the bucket for up to three cycles!
In fact, leaving dirt (processed waste) from the last cycle will improve the quality of your end product.
Make sure to add more fresh food waste, then simply start the next cycle! Be sure to also empty Lomi after 3 cycles.
Put these tips and tricks to use.
I’m learning more and more about my Lomi every time I use it. I hope that these tips and tricks inspired you to get to know Lomi a little better and ensure that you’re using it to its full potential. Using Lomi in my home has been easier than I expected it to be. There aren’t that many rules to follow and (almost) everything I eat can be put into the machine. There’s only one button to press and it’s super easy to clean too. Lomi is a dream.
If you’re ready to reduce your waste by 50%, order your Lomi today and get started turning your food waste into dirt at the touch of a button.