Composting Without Worms Indoors [Tools And Procedures]

Does composting work without worms? Yes, here is what to do.

When it comes to composting, worms are widely considered an integral part of the process as they help with the breakdown of a variety of organic matter.

While that is true, there are composting techniques that don’t make use of worms. In other words, decomposition occurs in the absence of worms.

Wormless Composting

If this method sounds interesting, we’ll be discussing the processes involved and how you can take advantage of them. By the end, you should have a clear idea of how to go about the process.

Before we proceed, it’s necessary to state that aerobic composting is another name for composting without worms.

Worm-Free Composting: A Little Background

The most common type of composting is that done with worms and aerobic composting.

Using worms for composting has its benefits but also its downsides. First off, many people will avoid dealing with worms as they’re considered gross.

This is especially true after composting is completed, as worms must be separated when harvesting finished compost. There’s also the initial setup cost, which is higher than aerobic composting.

What more? It’s difficult to quickly get rid of (kill) pathogens due to the absence of heat.

Composting without worms solves most of these problems and makes breaking down much easier and faster.

Tools Required For Composting Without Worms

There are multiple options when it comes to composting without worms.

The method you choose will determine what tools to use. These methods go together with the tools used. For example, you might want to use the DIY compost bin, the electric composter, and the compost tumbler.

Others include using the Bokashi bin and paying to have your scraps composted elsewhere. Let’s discuss each of these before going into the composting procedure.

• DIY Compost Bin

This is a type of composting method that doesn’t require worms.

Here, all you have to do is find a suitable bin. This is mainly used indoors, with dark areas providing the right conditions. Where you place, your compost bin is entirely up to you.

You’ll need to buy a sturdy bucket for further modification to make the bin. Holes will need to be drilled through the sides and lid of your container.

To keep pests out, consider lining the bucket interior with a mesh. Also, you might need to have a container placed underneath the bucket to hold any dripping water.

• Electric Composter

Another tool specially designed for composting without worms is the electric composter. This portable device can fit in just about anywhere you want, working efficiently.

All you’ll have to do is follow basic composting guidelines, to begin with. Electric composters are much easier to use compared to DIY compost bins.

• Compost Tumbler

You can also use the compost tumbler for composting without worms. It solves the amount of work to be done and is ideal for persons generating a lot of kitchen scraps.

You can have this placed in your yard or balcony. The compost tumbler needs to be spun every few days to ensure proper mix.

• Bokashi Bin

The Bokashi method adopts the anaerobic approach of decomposition to create compost. This comes with all basic kits and instructions on how to go about its implementation.

With the Bokashi bin, your compost is ready within a short period.

• Paying to Have your Scraps Composted Elsewhere

Not everyone will be interested in making their compost.

If you belong to this category, you might consider paying a private collection service to take your scraps away for sustainable composting elsewhere.

Other tools you may need for this composting include a compost grinder, compost spreader, and dumping garden cart. For the compost spreader, it works much like a mower.

As the name suggests, it’s used for even application of your compost to laws and target areas.

How to Compost Without Worms Indoors

Composting without worms isn’t a complex process and can be executed by following several steps. First off, consider adopting any form of composting-related technology available.

Next, you’ll have to prepare your scraps for composting. This should be followed by creating the right balance.

Compost must be kept moist in addition to using compost activators. Let’s take a look at each of the points mentioned.

• Adopt Available Technology

There’s continuous improvement in technology in almost every area of human endeavor. This is one reality you can take advantage of.

Improvements in waste management can be researched and adopted quite quickly. It’s essential to do the necessary research to achieve much better results.

• Prepare Scraps for Composting

Proper composting without worms requires adequate preparation of your kitchen scraps. Here, you need to understand that smaller scraps will break down much faster than larger ones.

With this understanding, cut your scraps into tiny pieces before emptying same into the compost bin for breakdown.

• Creating the Right Balance

When composting without worms, you need to ensure a balanced composition of constituents. For example, you should add a part of green waste to 3 parts of brown waste.

To be more specific, nitrogen-rich materials constitute green waste, while carbon-rich materials are regarded as brown waste.

• The Compost Must be Moist

Despite the absence of worms, many microorganisms help with the breakdown process of waste. These require oxygen to thrive. Now, such oxygen is derived from moisture.

As such, it’s necessary to ensure your compost is moist.

• Use Compost Activators

Compost activators help speed up the breakdown process of scraps. This is especially true when there’s difficulty getting the right balance of compost materials.

However, I must say that the application of compost activators isn’t a necessity as you can complete the process without activators.

• Turn Compost

There needs to be even aeration of your compost bin.

Knowing the turning frequency is also important. To ensure your compost gets proper aeration, consider turning it once every week.

These are essential steps to follow when composting without worms. We’ve mentioned the different tools and critical steps to follow to achieve the right results.