What is the best compost bin for an apartment?
A bokashi system or small tumbler composter works best, as both are compact and effective for smaller spaces. Apartment with no outdoor space: Electric composters or worm bins (for dedicated composters) are your best bet. Both systems can be used indoors and can handle a variety of scraps. DON’T add meat scraps, bones, grease, whole eggs, or dairy products to the compost pile because they decompose slowly, cause odors, and can attract rodents. DON’T add pet feces or spent cat liter to the compost pile. DON’T add diseased plant material or weeds that have gone to seed.Compost tumblers can be more efficient. They are designed to rotate, which helps to break down food scraps and other organic materials more quickly. Compost tumblers may work better for a smaller outdoor space, or residents who produce less food waste.Composting can attract unwanted pests and wildlife, which can create public health risks and damage property. Plus, improperly managed compost piles can emit strong odors, which can create problems for nearby residents and businesses.
Can I compost on my apartment balcony?
My partner and I compost in an 11-gallon bin on our apartment’s tiny balcony. This is close to the smallest feasible bin size that could make composting worthwhile. A smaller container would fill up too quickly to serve as a meaningful long-term destination for food scraps. Compost Tumbler Cons: more expensive than compost bins.
What is the laziest way to compost?
Chuck it all on a heap and forget about it If you chuck everything in a pile and add to it when you have waste, you’ll get compost eventually. You do want to avoid adding anything smelly if you care about getting pests. Even if you bury it, your pile will likely not get hot. However, a compost bin can occasionally attract unwanted insects and wildlife pests like cockroaches, spiders, and houseflies, or rodents like mice or rats. If you already have pests, you may decide you want to start over by cleaning out the bin and using some more effective composting practices.Compost-Friendly Pests Flies, termites and beetles are attracted to the smell of decay, and they, in turn, will attract larger predatory critters to the pile.In addition to compost bins or heaps rats will also burrow beneath chicken houses, woodpiles, manure, and heaps. They may line their nests in the compost bin with shredded paper, other dry material from the heap or material brought into the bin.