Composting is a good way of producing organic manure for gardening purposes. The process is usually aided by worms and it is suitable outside. Compost usually produces a smell that may not be favorable and this is one of the reasons why many people prefer to do it in the garden.
However, it is possible to start apartment composting without worms if you have limited space at your residence. The process of creating indoor compost may be challenging but you can do it with the right information. As such, this post gives you some tips that you can use to create your pile of compost indoors.
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Items Required for an Indoor Compost
When you set up indoor compost, the main challenge that you can face is related to limited space. It is important to consider containers with the right size and you can try to use some of the following items. You can get these items from gardening shops and they are inexpensive in most cases.
Plastic Bin
A plastic bin is ideal for your indoor compost since it is cheap. The idea is to create something that will not cost you a fortune. The other advantage of a plastic bin is that it is compact and it does not leave any trail of dirt in your house. The plastic bins come in different sizes so you can choose something that suits your space. You also need to drill holes for aeration on the plastic bin.
Wooden Crate
You can also use a wooden crate or even an old drawer for your indoor compost. It is essential to get something that can cover the top of the container and you can start composting. You can use fabric that is heavy like canvas. However, make sure that the wooden box is dry.
Five Gallon Plastics
A five-gallon plastic is another type of container that you can use. These containers are smaller and you can stack them to save space in your house. Just ensure that you place them out of the way so that they do not disturb your movement. You should also drill holes on the lid of the bucket for aeration.
Items to Put in Your Compost
After setting your compost bin in the right place, you need to decide the items that you can put inside. For a start, consider things like tea bags, vegetable and fruit waste, coffee beans and trimmings that you can get from plants. You should avoid dry things and other materials that can take time to decompose considering that there are no worms in the compost.
You should also avoid organic waste in your compost bin. Things like fats, meat, and other dairy products are not appropriate for your compost. These items take time to break down due to lack of microbial action in the absence of worms. Worms speed up the composting process but they are not appropriate for indoor compost.
Items like onions are also not good for your compost since they can produce a bad smell inside your house. Other watery things like melon peels should be avoided since they can make the compost too wet and end up producing a bad smell. Soggy compost also takes a longer period to break down.
Lint and hair are the other items that you should avoid in your compost. You can also consider adding other items that you feel can break down quickly. There is less heat inside the compost bin which can affect the composting process. It is crucial to keep your indoor compost healthy.
How to Maintain Your Compost?
You should mix the contents in the compost bin periodically to speed up the composting process. You can use a stick to mix the materials inside or you can shake the bin. The other advantage of mixing the contents inside the compost bin is to maintain a lower level of sogginess of your compost.
Add Dry Items
The other important aspect that you should do is to add dry leaves and shredded paper to the compost bin. Make sure that you slash them into small pieces that can break down easily. Hard things like twigs are not appropriate for your compost so you should try to avoid them.
Dry material also helps to prevent the compost from becoming soggy which is not appropriate for indoor environment. These items also help to increase the level of carbon which is crucial in speeding up the decomposition process. In the absence of worms, carbon is very important.
Maintain the Ration of Nitrogen and Carbon
The ratio of carbon and nitrogen should also be maintained at three parts of brown waste against one part of green waste. This will help to maintain the composting process at desired levels. Green materials usually take longer to decompose which can delay your compost.
Monitor the Compost
It is important to keep a close eye on your compost. This helps you to make appropriate decisions that can help increase the composting process. If you realize that the compost bin is getting too soggy, then consider adding dry items for better results.
When all the materials inside your bin have broken down, then your compost is ready for use in the garden. Indoor composts without worms usually take longer time to be ready compared to outdoor composts. The temperature is usually high outside which enhances the composting process.
Conclusion
Compost is good for your garden since it is free of chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. Due to limited space in the environment you live in, it may not be possible to create compost in the garden. However, you are never short of alternatives if you really want to create compost.
Apartment composting is a smart way of performing your gardening. This type of compost does not include worms but it works if you carefully follow the necessary measures. With this type of composting, you can create value from waste material and this also helps to prevent pollution.
