Easy way to Apartment Composting

Composting in an apartment comes with some challenges, but it is not impossible! I will share with you a beginner guide on the easy way to apartment composting that has worked great for us.

Compost is great for our plants, more if you have a container garden like we do because it adds nutrients to the soil that won’t get it otherwise.

Also, making our compost from kitchen scraps helps reduce the residues we throw into the landfills.

Can we compost in an apartment?

I heard a lot about composting and how easy it is to make it, but the majority of the videos I watched are from people who live in a place with some sort of land or backyard, so they have a variety of options and ways to compost.

But what about people like us that live in apartments? Yes, we can compost even if we live in an apartment!

Which method do I use for apartment composting?

Last year I wanted to make my own compost in my apartment, but I didn’t want to buy any extra materials, so I decided to use what I already had at home. Because the amount of compost I wanted to make is small (just to feed the plants I have on my balcony), I used a little bit of the potting mix from my container garden. Most potting mixes are made of bark, pine, coconut coir, or peat moss which I counted as part of my brown matter.

I will not use this method for bigger gardens because potting mixes can be expensive, but for my balcony garden was perfect. Also, instead of using potting mixes, you can use dry leaves and wood branches, just to mention a few.

Why do I use this composting method?

We live in the north, where winter is long so our gardening window is shorter than in other areas. Also, our space for our urban garden is pretty small too, so we don’t need big quantities of compost.

As I was looking for a different method and tried a few, I started to try to make one a little bit different, and it works!!! It is odorless, easy to make, and a space saver.

How much compost do I really need?

Even though we don’t produce the amount of food to be self-sustainable, we do produce a nice variety of plants to eat organic from home from time to time, like lettuce, tomatoes, herbs amount others.

But how much compost do I really need? This was my real question because we live in a small apartment with a tiny balcony, which means that I won’t need a big amount of compost. It is important to ask yourself this question before starting your composting journey so you know which size of container to buy.

What do we need to make compost?

Nitrogen-rich materials (Green Matter): Which decompose faster like non-animal food scraps, tea bags, and grass clippings to mention a few.

Carbon-rich materials (Brown Matter): Which decompose slowly like wood, newspaper, wood branches, dry leaves, and coffee filters to mention a few.

Water

Air

Which ratio of each component should I add?

Green and Brown Matter: This will vary for everyone. Some people like to add 50% green and 50% brown; others said 3 parts green and 4 parts brown, and others said the opposite. In my case, I use 70% brown and 30% green, which have worked great for us.

Water: I like to keep the compost moist but not wet.

Air: I keep the lid semi-open on top of the container for good airflow.

How do I compost in my apartment?

Add some potting mix to the base of a clean container (I have a one-gallon container). Add some of your non-animal food scraps. Remember to cut them into small pieces so they will decompose faster. I avoid adding garlic and onion scraps.

I also add some grass clippings.

I add water a couple of times a week and mix it well. I try to keep it moist but not wet.

Add more brown matter and mix well every time you add green matter to the container.

What do I add to my balcony compost?

• Grass clippings
• Eggshell
• Vegetable scraps
• Fruit Scraps
• Potting mix
• Water

Are there other methods to compost in an apartment?

Yes, there are other methods!

Bokashi method: This is a fermentation process in which kitchen scraps are added to a bin with a lid. Adding bokashi accelerates the process of fermentation. The liquid that comes from this fermentation process is used as plant nutrients. This is a great method, but for some reason didn’t work for me.

Vermicomposting: This is another method I have seen people use in small spaces. Vermicomposting is like a small worm farm that works great to decompose the scraps. Even though I know the benefits of worms in the soil and have seen how great this method works, I haven’t tried it yet. I’m not sure I want to have a small worm farm in a container in my apartment yet.

Is there a way to get free compost?

Look in your community; they may have programs that offer free compost. In our city, we have a program called Community Environment Days in which they provide a small amount of compost for free on specific days during the year.

I hope this easy way of apartment composting was helpful and inspired you to continue your gardening journey. You may also like ” How to design a Balcony Garden.”