Composting Indoors

Are you interested in learning how to make your own compost, but don't exactly have the space to do it outside? Perhaps you have neighbors who don't exactly like the smell of you composting, and have asked you to stop. Whatever the reason, composting indoors is a choice that many people are faced with. However, if you don't want to have your entire house filled with the "wonderful" odor that is a by product of successful composting, then you need to know a few things.

• Buy a kitchen composter. There are all kinds of kitchen composters currently available on the market. Many of these rely heavily on technology to help fulfill your composting needs. These pieces of equipment are typically fairly expensive, running a couple of hundred dollars or more. However, they have an advantage in that they can dramatically increase the process of composting, usually completing the process every ten days. In addition, these pieces of equipment are able to be sealed nice and tight, which will reduce the amount of odor you experience.
• Use red worms. Using red worms (also called vermicomposting) is perhaps the single most common option for composting indoors. This method is usually the most odorific, pretty icky (since you are literally able to see the worms working on the scraps), and takes a while. However, it is perhaps the single most efficient and inexpensive method for composting indoors. You can often find the composting bins, and the worms, at many home improvement stores as well as at garden centers and nurseries.
• Go Japanese. The Japanese have method for indoor composting called Bokashi, and it works wonders. This type of indoor composting doesn't create the heat that is often associated with the composting process, but can cost a bit of money. The reason for this is that you need to purchase a specific type of mixture that is comprised of molasses, bran, water, and something called effective microorganisms. This mixture ends up fermenting your waste, and only produces an odor that is reminiscent of cider vinegar. Unlike other kinds of indoor composting, you can literally put anything you want into the bin, and you don't even need to use a specialized composting bin.
• Cheat. If you don't want to put up with the mess, fuss, or potential odors yourself, you can always have someone else do it for you. This is particularly effective if you live in an area that has community or co-op gardens. There is usually someone that will be willing to collect your scraps and do the composting for you. This may include a small fee for the service, but often it is worth it. Check around at your local nurseries, or community gardens to find those who are willing to perform this service.