The Conscious Plant Parent

How to Make Composting Simple & Introvert-Friendly

You don’t need a backyard, fancy bin, or worms to start. Here are soft, low-barrier ways to ease into composting at home:

1. The Indoor Countertop Jar

Use a lidded jar or small bin to collect scraps:

• Coffee grounds
• Tea leaves
• Eggshells
• Fruit/veggie peels (avoid citrus or too much onion)

Once full, you can:

• Mix it into your outdoor soil (if available)
• Freeze it and bring it to a local compost drop-off
• Give it to a friend or community garden that composts

2. DIY Mini Bokashi or Fermentation Bin

This method uses friendly bacteria to break down scraps fast, with no smell. It’s great for small apartments. You can buy a starter or DIY with an airtight container and rice bran or bokashi flakes.

3. Compost Tea for Houseplants

Even if you don’t compost full-time, you can make quick compost tea by:

• Soaking a handful of finished compost in water for 24–48 hrs
• Straining it and watering your plants with it (instant boost!)

4. Worm-Free Balcony or Kitchen Bin

Use a plastic storage container with holes poked in the sides and bottom. Layer in:

• Browns (dry leaves, paper scraps, shredded cardboard)
• Greens (your food scraps)
• A little soil or finished compost to kickstart microbes

Turn it once a week and keep it moist like a wrung-out sponge. After a few months? Beautiful homemade compost.

5. Feed with Kitchen Scraps (No Compost Required)

Exhausted? No time for composting? No worries. We all get burnt out from time to time. Slow down and do something simple.

Try this:

• Banana peel soak: Soak a peel in a mason jar of water overnight. Water your plants with it in the morning—potassium-rich goodness, minimal effort.
• Crushed eggshells: Rinse, dry, crush. Toss into the soil of your heavier feeders (like tomatoes or monstera).

You’re recycling and feeding, without making a single trip outside.

• • •

The Bigger Picture

Composting invites you to slow down, to notice what you’re discarding, and to create a cycle of care in your home. It’s not just about feeding plants—it’s about remembering that nothing truly goes to waste when it’s met with intention.

For burnt-out plant parents or first-timers, composting can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be messy or stressful—it can be a tiny act of love that fits right next to your teacup and watering can.