Compost 101: From Kitchen Scraps to Garden Gold
🍌Turn waste into wellness — one banana peel at a time 🍌
Composting is nature’s quiet miracle, a way to recycle everyday scraps into soil so rich it practically hums with life. Whether you’re a beginner with a small bin or a seasoned gardener with a full compost corner, learning how to compost properly turns your kitchen and garden waste into the “black gold” your plants crave. Let’s dig into the basics together. 🌻
What Is Composting?
It’s the natural process of breaking down organic materials, like fruit peels, vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and dry leaves into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. When balanced correctly, compost acts as a living sponge, improving soil structure, water retention, and plant health.
Why Compost? The Bountiful Benefits 
- Reduces waste: Keeps food scraps and yard debris out of landfills.
- Improves soil health: Adds nutrients, enhances drainage, and promotes beneficial microbes.
- Retains moisture: Compost-enriched soil holds water longer, reducing watering needs.
- Fosters resilience: Plants grown in compost-rich soil are better at resisting pests and disease.
- Connects you to nature: A gentle reminder that nothing is wasted, give back to the earth.
The Perfect Recipe: Browns + Greens + Air + Water
Compost works best when it has a mixed balance of: “browns” (carbon-rich materials) and “greens” (nitrogen-rich materials):
🍂 Browns (Carbon)
- Dry leaves
- Paper towels & napkins (unbleached)
- Cardboard shreds
- Wood chips, sawdust
- Straw, corn stalks
🌿 Greens (Nitrogen)
- Fruit & veggie scraps
- Coffee grounds & filters
- Tea bags (no plastic mesh)
- Fresh grass clippings
- Plant trimmings
What Not to Compost
- Meat, fish, or dairy (can attract pests)
- Greasy or oily foods
- Pet waste or litter
- Diseased plants or weeds with seeds
- Glossy paper or synthetic materials
Keep your compost clean and plant-safe by sticking to natural, biodegradable inputs.
Getting Started: How to Build Your First Pile
- Choose a spot: Shady and well-drained is ideal.
- Layer it up: Start with coarse browns (twigs, straw), then alternate greens and browns.
- Moisten as you go: Lightly water each layer — not soggy!
- Turn every 1–2 weeks: Mix to add air and speed decomposition.
- Harvest in 2–6 months: Finished compost is dark, crumbly, and smells earthy.
Troubleshooting Common Compost Issues
Smells bad? 🫢
Too wet or too many greens. Add dry leaves, shredded paper, and turn the pile to add air.
Not breaking down? 🐢
Too dry or too many browns. Add moisture and a handful of greens, then mix well.
Bugs galore? 🐜
That’s normal — most are helpers! Just bury kitchen scraps under a brown layer to reduce fruit flies.
How to Use Finished Compost
- In garden beds: Mix 1–2 inches into the top 6 inches of soil before planting.
- As mulch: Spread a 1-inch layer around plants to retain moisture.
- In potting mixes: Replace up to 20% of bagged soil with compost for nutrient boost.
- As compost tea: Steep a shovel of compost in water for a gentle liquid fertilizer.