Setting up a compost bin at home: Do’s and don’ts for feed and airflow

Editor’s Note: In this series, the Good Food Movement explores composting—a climate-friendly, organic way to deal with waste. We answer questions about what you can compost, how to build composting bins and how this process can reshape our relationship with nature and our urban ecosystem.

The internet is teeming with backyard composting tutorials. The market offers a dizzying range of compost bins to choose from. If you find composting intimidating, you’re not the only one. But here’s a secret—composting is only as demanding as you make it.

Your compost bin can live on your terrace, or balcony, or windowsill, and thrive equally well everywhere. That said, your compost pile does need good air flow (to welcome the nice, oxygen-loving microbes which break down your food without producing methane as a by-product). Partially shaded corners of a balcony or a windowsill with minimal temperature fluctuations are ideal spots to house your compost.  

Then comes the question of the compost bin: what kind should it be, and what size? Remember, composting is a process of learning. Getting your hands dirty makes you acutely aware of how much food waste you generate, and how it is broken down. It helps, in such cases, to start with a rudimentary bin. Grab a flower pot or bucket. Punch some holes at the bottom, and place it on a plate to collect any liquids that might seep through; the process is similar to growing a plant! Cover this with another lid or a plate, and there you have it: a starter-friendly compost bin.

Also read: Why composting is good for your garden -- and the planet

Levelling up

As time passes, and you grow more comfortable with the process, you can choose to turn one bucket into two, or to invest in a larger container. Much like how a starter for sourdough bread (a live culture of yeast and bacteria) ‘feeds’ and enhances a new batch, your compost bin also needs a base layer from a fellow companion. Ideally, borrow some compost from a friend to fill up the bottom one inch. If you are the torchbearer of composting in your social circle with no one to borrow compost from, fret not – some shredded newspapers, coconut fibre and curd or buttermilk will work the same magic.

Also read: Don't dump it, compost it: Why peels and scraps shouldn't be tossed into your garden

Stirred, not shaken

Finally, you have a bin ready to receive your leftovers and kitchen scraps. But is your waste ready for the compost bin? Composting works best when your scraps are chopped into tiny pieces. This increases the surface area of the waste, and thus the speed at which microbes can nibble away. It is also a good practice to drain the vegetables of all water before tossing them into the compost bin.

Once chopped and drained, your kitchen waste is ready to enter the compost bin. Add in browns (like coconut husk or dry leaves) proportionately—roughly 3-4 times the greens (i.e. vegetable and fruit peels)—and cover the bin to prevent any pest troubles. Stir things up once a week and observe how the contents of the bin change. As the volume shrinks and the pile heats up, your compost will take on an earthy, pleasant smell. Take a moment to appreciate your hard work—your compost is on its way. 

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