How to Start Composting in Apartments
Apartment composting is easier than you think. With the right setup, you can turn your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil without any odor or mess.
Why Compost in an Apartment?
Composting reduces waste sent to landfills, creates free fertilizer for your plants, and closes the nutrient loop in your urban garden. Every year, an average household throws away 200kg of organic waste that could be composted.
Choosing Your System
For apartments, we recommend bokashi composting or worm bins. Both are odorless when managed properly and work in small spaces. Bokashi ferments waste quickly, while worm bins provide rich vermicompost and compost tea.
What Can You Compost?
Fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, eggshells, and paper towels are perfect. Avoid meat, dairy, and oily foods in traditional composting (though bokashi can handle these).
What You'll Need
- Compost bin with lid (bokashi or worm bin)
- Bokashi bran or red wiggler worms
- Kitchen scrap collection container
- Brown materials (shredded paper, cardboard)
- Spray bottle for moisture control
Step-by-Step Instructions
Set up your bin
Place in a convenient spot away from direct sunlight
Add bedding
For worm bins, add moistened newspaper and cardboard
Start composting
Add kitchen scraps in thin layers
Maintain moisture
Keep as damp as a wrung-out sponge
Harvest compost
After 2-3 months, harvest finished compost
Pro Tips
- Freeze scraps before adding to reduce fruit fly attraction
- Bury food scraps under bedding to prevent odors
- Balance green (nitrogen) and brown (carbon) materials
- Chop large pieces into smaller bits for faster decomposition
Ready to get started?
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