Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of waste you send to a landfill. And who doesn’t want that?
Plus, it transforms food scraps into a nutrient-rich fertilizer— perfect for folks at South Duff in Ames, Iowa and The Reserve on West 31st in Lawrence, Kansas who are growing plants and herbs on their balconies.
However, many apartment dwellers think they don’t have the space to compost. Not true!
Below are eight tips for composting in an apartment— without the smells and pests:
You Will Need:
container with lid
food scraps
water
Directions:
1. Start your compost pile with 2 parts brown materials and 1 part green materials. Greens include vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, pet hair, dirt and dust. Browns include dead leaves, sawdust, cardboard, paper towels, shredded cotton. Note: Do NOT include meat, bones, dairy products, pet feces, or citrus.
2. Cut your kitchen scraps into smaller pieces to help speed up the composting process.
3. If you have it, add a scoop of potting soil, which acts as a starter.
4. Water the pile.
5. Stir it up.
6. Water again until it’s thoroughly wet.
7. Turn and mix the pile up once a week, and water it enough that it feels like a moist sponge.
8. Your compost is ready when you have a rich, black humus you can scoop out.
Think you’ll try composting in an apartment? Tell us why or why not in the comments!