Can I compost in the Suburbs?

The answer is yes. You can compost in the suburbs whether you reside in a townhouse or a single home, all you need is a small space in your backyard. Composting in the suburbs is just as composting on a farm as long as you are mindful of odors and select the right composter to avoid problems with your neighbors. That said, a ‘must have for suburban composting’ (for example) is reduced odors and no unwanted animals circling your composting bin.

Here are a few suggested rules you can follow to compost at home and keep your neighbors happy:

• Rule #1 – Select a composter that will minimize composting smells and keep pest away.
• Rule #2 – When choosing the right composter, consider the size of your yard and the size of your household. You want to have enough waste to keep the composting heap fed and a space in your yard where it can stand without becoming an eyesore.
• Rule #3 - Sealed composters with a small footprint are well suited to small gardens when space is limited and you want to keep the composting area neat and tidy.
• Rule #4 – Choose a composter with a fast or short composting cycle so that decomposed matter does not stand for long and new batches of compost are produced frequently.
• Rule# 5 – If you wish to compost all year round (even during the winter months) you may want to consider an ‘all seasons’ insulated hot composting system.

I read a blog post on this subject early this year where the writer described the experience of composting at home as “something almost magical that allows us to create our own dirt from food scraps, even if we live in the suburbs and have limited backyard space.” I totally agree with her comments and think we should all be able to compost and create our own organic soil/improved compost, regardless of where we live.

If you live in suburbia and are thinking about getting started composting at home or replacing an existing bin for a newer model, then take a look at our selection of HOTBIN Composting to learn how this composter ‘fits the suburban bill’ by effectively helping you realize your composting goals and reduce the amount of unavoidable waste that you send today to landfill.