Why and Where to Make Compost - Indoors and Out

Compost nourishes plants

Crabapple asks: Are you interested in having great veggies, brilliant flowers and vigorous houseplants? Try adding compost to the potting soil. 

Why compost? 

Composting is known as "making black gold" for the plants in the garden or for houseplants, and is a good idea because it can:

Decrease the carbon footprint

Reduce the amount of solid waste added to landfills

Improve soil quality for veggies on the balcony or for indoor plants

Save money on potting soil

Is an easy and fun science project

Can increase popularity when you use compost as gifts (just joking, it’s too precious to give away)

Where to compost?

Live in an apartment but want to make compost for your houseplants? Does your HOA covenant prohibit traditional compost heaps? Want to compost at the office? Maybe the kids want to compost at school?  Although Crabapple LandscapExperts composts on a grand scale, we can suggest several possibilities for unobtrusive composting tips.

Composting in a bucket

1. Start a compost bucket with a lid under the sink, adding veggie and fruit scraps and maintaining the wet/dry ratio by adding dry shredded paper whenever you add food. Drill some holes in the bucket to allow for good air exchange needed for aerobic decomposition.  If it gets too wet it will begin to smell bad, so keep it barely moist, like a damp sponge. Apartment Therapy blog gives a step-by-step example of easy indoor composting.  http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-make-your-own-indoor-co-138645

2. Use the blender to make juice out of vegetable and fruit scraps and peels, then pour the juice on the garden plants, balcony veggies or houseplants. This is not actually compost yet, but will nourish the soil microorganisms that in turn aid the plants. 

3. How about trying a worm farm at the office, also known as vermicomposting (like vermicelli). Start with a simple, opaque plastic box about 12”W x 24”L x 8”H with a lid and drill air holes near the top. Add a 3 inch layer of soil, then add kitchen scraps, shredded white paper, corrugated cardboard, coffee grounds and tea leaves for the worms to process. Order a package of red wigglers through online and you're ready to start. The liquid "worm tea" that collects at the bottom of the box can be diluted with water and used to revv up office plants that help to purify the air.  

4. Start a school composting project like this real-life biology lesson in California. http://earth911.com/news/2011/09/20/how-to-start-a-school-compost-program/ 

Compost in a pickup truck! 

Decrease your carbon footprint and turn food scraps into a beneficial new product through composting. Learn more about the topic from the Cooperative Extension Service in each county.