Composting for Beginners: How to Start Composting at Home (Even in an Apartment)
A simple beginner's guide to composting at home, including what to compost, the greens and browns balance, backyard bins, apartment options like worm bins and bokashi, how to fix a smelly compost pile and how composting helps the planet and your garden.
Banana peels, coffee grounds, the sad bag of spinach you forgot about, eggshells, onion skins. Most of us toss a surprising amount of food scraps into the trash every week. It feels wasteful, but what else are you supposed to do with them?
Composting turns all of that into rich, dark soil that plants absolutely love. It's one of the simplest, most satisfying ways to shrink your environmental footprint, and it's easier than a lot of people think. You don't need a huge yard, fancy equipment or a degree in soil science. You just need a container, a little patience and a basic understanding of what goes in.
Why compost?
It keeps food out of landfills
According to the EPA, food scraps and yard waste together make up more than 30 percent of what Americans throw away. When food rots in a landfill, packed in without much oxygen, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Composting breaks food down with oxygen, which greatly reduces methane.
It makes amazing soil
Finished compost improves soil structure, helps soil hold water and adds nutrients. That means healthier plants, fewer chemical fertilizers and a garden that can handle dry spells better.
It's good for you, too
Composting can be a calming, grounding habit that connects you to nature, a lot like gardening. Our guide to gardening and wellbeing explains the mental health benefits of getting your hands in the soil.
It saves money
Less trash can mean fewer garbage bags, and homemade compost replaces store-bought soil amendments.
How composting works
Composting is basically managed decay. Tiny organisms like bacteria, fungi, worms and insects break down organic material into humus, a dark, crumbly substance rich in nutrients. To do their job, they need four things:
- Greens: nitrogen-rich materials
- Browns: carbon-rich materials
- Water: enough to keep things damp, like a wrung-out sponge
- Air: oxygen, which you add by turning the pile
What can you compost?
Greens (nitrogen-rich)
- Fruit and vegetable scraps
- Coffee grounds and paper coffee filters
- Tea leaves and plastic-free tea bags
- Fresh grass clippings
- Plant trimmings
- Eggshells (technically neither, but they're compostable)
Browns (carbon-rich)
- Dry leaves
- Shredded newspaper and plain cardboard
- Paper towels and napkins (without chemical cleaners)
- Straw and hay
- Sawdust from untreated wood
- Small twigs
- Paper egg cartons
What not to compost at home
- Meat, fish and bones: can smell and attract pests
- Dairy products: same problem
- Oils and greasy foods
- Pet waste: can contain harmful germs
- Diseased plants
- Weeds with seeds, which can spread through your garden
- Glossy or coated paper
- Coal or charcoal ash
- "Compostable" plastics, which often need industrial composting facilities
Some industrial or city composting programs accept a wider range of items, including meat and dairy, so check local rules if you use one.
The greens and browns balance
A simple rule of thumb: aim for roughly two to three parts browns to one part greens by volume. You don't need to be precise.
- Too many greens: the pile gets wet, slimy and smelly.
- Too many browns: the pile is dry and breaks down very slowly.
Every time you add a bucket of kitchen scraps, cover it with a layer of browns, like leaves or shredded cardboard. That helps with balance and keeps smells and pests down.
How to start composting in your backyard
1. Pick a spot
Choose a level, well-drained spot, ideally partly shaded and easy to reach from the kitchen.
2. Choose a bin
Options include:
- Open pile: free and simple, but can look messy
- Homemade bin: pallets or wire mesh work well
- Plastic compost bin: tidy and helps keep pests out
- Tumbler: a rotating drum that makes turning easy
3. Start with a layer of browns
Lay down a few inches of twigs or dry leaves at the bottom for airflow.
4. Add greens and browns in layers
Add kitchen scraps and garden waste, and cover each layer with browns.
5. Keep it moist
The pile should feel like a wrung-out sponge. Add water if it's dry, or browns if it's soggy.
6. Turn it
Turn or mix the pile every week or two with a garden fork. This adds oxygen and speeds things up.
7. Harvest your compost
Depending on conditions, compost can be ready in a few months to a year. It's done when it's dark, crumbly and smells like earth, and you can't recognize the original materials.
How to compost in an apartment
No yard? No problem. You've got options.
Worm bin (vermicomposting)
Red wiggler worms eat food scraps and produce worm castings, a very rich compost. Worm bins can live under a sink or in a closet and, when managed well, don't smell bad. Keep them away from extreme heat and cold.
Bokashi
Bokashi is a Japanese method that ferments food waste in an airtight bucket using a special bran. It can handle small amounts of meat and dairy. The fermented waste then needs to be buried in soil or added to a compost pile to finish breaking down.
Countertop electric "composters"
These devices dry and grind food scraps into a smaller, drier material. They're convenient but use electricity, and the result usually isn't true finished compost. It may need to be added to soil or a compost pile.
Community and municipal composting
Many cities offer curbside compost pickup or drop-off sites at farmers markets and community gardens. Store scraps in a container in the freezer to avoid smells until drop-off day.
Troubleshooting common compost problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Smells rotten | Too wet or too many greens | Add browns and turn it |
| Smells like ammonia | Too much nitrogen | Add browns |
| Not breaking down | Too dry or too many browns | Add water and greens, then turn |
| Fruit flies | Exposed food scraps | Bury scraps under browns |
| Rodents | Meat, dairy or exposed food | Remove those items and use a closed bin |
How to use finished compost
- Mix it into garden beds before planting
- Spread it as a top layer around plants
- Add it to potting soil for containers and houseplants
- Sprinkle it on your lawn
- Use it when planting trees and shrubs
If you're growing your own food, compost makes a great boost for edible gardens. Our Bluecrop blueberry growing guide shows how much the right soil matters.
Composting and reducing food waste
Composting is great, but preventing food waste in the first place is even better for the planet and your wallet. Plan meals, store food properly and use leftovers creatively. Our guide to reducing food waste has lots of practical ideas. Then compost what's left.
How to store food scraps without the smell
One of the biggest worries for new composters is the kitchen. Nobody wants a stinky bucket on the counter. A few easy fixes:
- Use a small lidded container and empty it every few days.
- Line it with newspaper or a compostable bag your compost system accepts.
- Keep scraps in the freezer in a reusable container or bag until you're ready to take them out. This stops smells and fruit flies completely.
- Rinse the container each time you empty it.
- Add a handful of browns, like shredded paper, to soak up moisture.
Make it a family habit
Composting is a lovely way to get kids interested in nature and where food comes from. Let them sort scraps into greens and browns, check the pile's temperature with their hand (it can feel warm in the middle when it's working well), look for worms and help spread the finished compost in the garden. Kids often become the strictest compost monitors in the house.
Don't aim for perfect
If you take one thing from this guide, let it be this: compost is forgiving. Everything organic breaks down eventually. If your pile is a bit too wet, too dry or too slow, it's easy to adjust. Start with fruit and vegetable scraps and some dry leaves or cardboard, and learn as you go. The point is to keep good material out of the trash and give something back to the soil.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to make compost?
It depends on the method and conditions. A well-managed, regularly turned pile can produce compost in a few months, while a pile left alone may take a year or more.
Does composting smell bad?
A healthy compost pile should smell earthy. Bad smells usually mean it's too wet or has too many greens. Adding browns and turning it typically fixes the problem.
Can I compost in an apartment?
Yes. Worm bins, bokashi buckets and community drop-off programs all work well for apartments.
Can you compost citrus and onions?
Yes, in moderation in an outdoor pile. Worm bins tend to do better with only small amounts of citrus and onions.
Will a compost pile attract rats?
It can if you add meat, dairy or greasy foods, or leave scraps exposed. Use a closed bin and bury food scraps under browns.
Small green habits add up. See how your environmental wellness is doing with our free wellness wheel quiz.
