Apartment & Small-Space Composting — FarmPal

Convert kitchen scraps into garden gold even without outdoor space using worm bins, bokashi, or compact methods.

Time Required
5-10 minutes per week maintenance
Season
See notes

Benefits

  • •Diverts food waste from landfills
  • •Creates valuable fertilizer for houseplants and containers
  • •Reduces garbage and disposal costs
  • •Closed-loop food system even in small spaces
  • •Educational about decomposition and soil biology

Steps

1
Choose Your Method

Vermicomposting (worms) and bokashi are best for apartments. Each has advantages.

  • 💡 Vermicomposting: odorless when done right, produces rich castings
  • 💡 Bokashi: ferments all food including meat/dairy, no worms needed
  • 💡 Electric composters are fast but expensive
2
Set Up Vermicomposting

Red wiggler worms eat kitchen scraps and produce nutrient-rich castings. A bin under the sink works well.

  • 💡 Start with 1 lb worms per square foot of bin surface
  • 💡 Bedding: shredded newspaper, cardboard, coco coir
  • 💡 Avoid citrus, onions, and meat in worm bins
3
Set Up Bokashi System

Bokashi uses beneficial microbes to ferment food waste. It handles all food including meat and dairy.

  • 💡 Requires special bokashi bran to inoculate food
  • 💡 Pack food tightly and sprinkle bran between layers
  • 💡 Drain liquid ("bokashi juice") every few days dilute and use as fertilizer
4
Maintain Your System

Regular attention prevents odors and keeps the system healthy.

  • 💡 Bury food scraps under bedding in worm bins
  • 💡 Keep bokashi anaerobic press down to remove air
  • 💡 Harvest worm castings when bin is mostly finished compost
5
Use Your Compost

Finished compost enriches container gardens, houseplants, and community garden plots.

  • 💡 Worm castings can be used directly won't burn plants
  • 💡 Make compost tea by steeping castings in water
  • 💡 Mix into potting soil for containers

Tools Needed

Worm bin or bokashi buckets
Red wiggler worms (vermicompost) or bokashi bran (bokashi)
Bedding materials (shredded paper, cardboard)
Kitchen scrap container
pH-neutral storage container for finished compost

⚠️ Safety

  • •Worm bins can attract fruit flies if overfed or undercovered
  • •Bokashi juice is acidic dilute before use
  • •Wash hands after handling compost
  • •Keep worm bins away from vibrations (washing machines)
Seasonal Notes
Indoor systems work year-round. Worm bins may slow in temperature extremes keep between 55-77°F. Bokashi works in any temperature.