Share:
As far as I can tell, compost is basically magic. I throw moldy bread, banana peels, and some broccoli trimmings into a bin, and with very little work and some time… poof! It transforms into dark, rich, healthy soil that helps house plants bloom, gardens grow, and all plants live happier, healthier lives.
Learning to compost takes only a few minutes and can help you save big: no more need to buy expensive chemical fertilizers or “plant food”. Turning your coffee grounds, banana peels, and vegetable trimmings into a useful product will also seriously cut down on the trash you throw out.
But isn’t compost stinky?
No! When food rots it gets stinky. But properly set up compost systems don’t let the food rot. Instead, air-flow and break-down keeps it transforming into soil instead. Read on for easy step-by-step instructions to set up your very own indoor, apartment-friendly compost system – without the smell.
Compost has 5 key ingredients: “greens”, “browns”, soil, water, and air. We’ll tackle them one at a time.
Greens:
This really means nitrogen-rich material, and it covers almost all your daily kitchen scraps. Vegetable trimmings, apple cores, banana peels, even eggshells and stale/moldy bread. Each item has different nutrients, so healthier soil comes from a diverse compost pile!
Browns:
Browns include things like coffee grounds or tea leaves (untreated paper filters are usually ok too! just watch out for tags, strings or staples on tea bags). They also can include dry lawn “waste” like leaves or dry grass clippings. I like to keep a container of leaves handy near my compost bin to pile them in as needed. No lawn? Shredded up newspaper works too!
Soil:
There’s two good reasons to use soil in your compost bin: a scoop from outside has a few itty bitty soil critters living in it. These critters are great at quickly breaking down your food scraps into dirt! A thin layer of soil also acts as a smell blanket – keeping any stink inside.
Water:
Compost “cooks”, or breaks down into soil, best when it is the texture of a wrung-out sponge. Usually your kitchen waste is wet enough to keep it cooking fine. You can test this by poking a stick into the pile and seeing if it’s damp when you pull it out. If not, sprinkle on a bit of water.
Air:
Air flow helps break down the kitchen scraps, and helps keep the process “aerobic”, which is good. “Anaerobic” – without oxygen – gets much stinkier. Air flow comes from holes in your container, and frequent “turning”. I usually mix my compost with a hand spade about once a month.
Container:
For apartment-sized compost, aim for a 10-20 gallon container of your choice. A metal trashcan works, or a plastic box with a lid. If you chose wood, be sure it’s treated so the wood doesn’t join in the decomposition inside!
If you have a really small space, you can use a smaller container, like a plastic trash bin that fits under your sink. Just be sure it has a cover!
To let the air through the compost, drill/puncture at least 10-12 holes through the bottom and set the container on slats to let air flow underneath. I like to put some newspaper underneath the slats to collect any possible spills – usually just dirt!
You’ll need two similar containers – when the first is full, it can “cook” while you start filling the other. Your first batch of compost should be ready before your second container is full!
How-to:
You know the ingredients; you have your container. Now let’s put them together!
HELPFUL HINTS:
Moving into a new apartment or rental property can be both exciting and stressful. From packing up your belongings to coordinating logistics, there’s a lot to manage. However, one aspect that is often overlooked is what to expect on move-in day regarding the condition of your new unit. Surprisingly, according to recent surveys, a significant […]
· Mar 12, 2024
On ApartmentRatings, real renters have the ability to rate and review their apartment communities based on their experience touring and or living in the communities. ApartmentRatings offers renters the ability to see what life is like at a community through a report card grade style format called epIQ. Every month we highlight apartment communities whose […]
· Feb 28, 2024
On ApartmentRatings, real renters have the ability to rate and review their apartment communities based on their experience touring and/or living in them. ApartmentRatings offers renters the ability to see what life is truly like at a community through a report card grade style format called epIQ. Every month we highlight a major city across […]
· Jan 31, 2024