Food scraps make up a large share of household rubbish, and in landfill they break down without oxygen and release methane. Composting them instead returns nutrients to your plants. You don’t need a backyard: several systems fit under a sink or on a balcony and, run properly, don’t smell. The key is matching the method to your space, your scraps and how hands-on you want to be.
Compost basics in 60 seconds
Composting organisms need four things: nitrogen-rich “greens” (fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds), carbon-rich “browns” (shredded paper, cardboard, dry leaves), moisture like a wrung-out sponge, and air. Most bad smells come from too many greens, too much water and too little air. Adding browns and air usually fixes it.
Option 1: Worm bin (vermicomposting)
Red wiggler worms (Eisenia fetida) eat fruit and vegetable scraps and produce worm castings, one of the best soil amendments you can give container plants. A worm bin is a shallow, ventilated box with moist shredded paper bedding. Bury small amounts of chopped scraps in the bedding, keep it damp and dark, and harvest castings every few months.
- Best for: steady vegetable scraps, people who enjoy a living system.
- Avoid feeding: meat, dairy, oily food, large amounts of citrus and onion.
- Keep it: between roughly 15–25°C, out of direct sun. Bring balcony bins indoors in frost or heat waves.
Option 2: Bokashi
Bokashi is a fermentation method rather than true composting. You layer scraps in an airtight bucket with bran inoculated with beneficial microbes, press out the air and close the lid. In about two weeks the contents are pickled, not rotted. The fermented material is then buried in soil or added to a compost bin or planter, where it breaks down quickly.
- Best for: small kitchens; it accepts cooked food, small amounts of meat and dairy.
- Needs: a place to finish the fermented scraps (a large planter, community garden or compost drop-off). Drain the liquid every few days; diluted, it can be used as a plant feed.
Option 3: Electric food recyclers
Countertop appliances dry and grind food waste into a dry, reduced material in a few hours. They’re fast and odour-controlled but use electricity and filters, and the output is not finished compost; it should be mixed into soil or compost and given time to break down before planting into it.
Option 4: Drop-off and collection
Many cities now offer green-bin collection or community drop-off points at farmers’ markets and community gardens. Freeze scraps in a container to stop smells and fruit flies, then drop them off weekly. It’s the lowest-effort option and still keeps food out of landfill.
Troubleshooting
- Smells sour or rotten: too wet or too much food. Add shredded cardboard, stop feeding for a week, increase airflow.
- Fruit flies: bury scraps fully, cover the surface with dry paper, freeze scraps before adding.
- Worms escaping: bedding too wet, acidic or hot. Add dry bedding and check temperature.
- Bokashi white mould: normal and a good sign. Black or green mould means air got in.
Watch: how to compost at home
Video: Epic Gardening, via YouTube.