Blog by Rosie I., Garden Center Team
Let's take charge of green waste at home. Composting is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste and help your garden, yard, or houseplants thrive. At its core, composting is the process of turning food scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich soil. It might sound technical, but it’s actually simple, low-cost, and flexible enough to fit almost any household.
Why compost? When food scraps and yard waste go into the trash, they usually end up in landfills, where they break down without oxygen and produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Composting keeps that material out of the landfill and turns it into something useful: a natural fertilizer that improves soil health, helps plants retain water, and reduces the need for chemical additives.
To get started, you only need three basic ingredients: greens, browns, and air.
- Greens are nitrogen-rich materials like fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea leaves, and fresh grass clippings.
- Browns are carbon-rich materials like dry leaves, shredded paper, cardboard, and straw.
- Air helps everything break down properly and prevents odors.
A good rule of thumb is to aim for roughly two parts browns to one-part greens. This doesn’t need to be exact— composting is forgiving. If your pile smells bad or looks slimy, add more browns. If nothing seems to be happening, add more greens and mix things up.
You can compost in many ways: a backyard pile, a bin with a lid, or even a small countertop system that you empty into a larger bin. If you live in an apartment, look into community compost programs or drop-off sites—many cities now offer them.
There are a few things to avoid, especially in basic home systems. Skip meat, dairy, oily foods, and pet waste, as these can attract pests or create odors. Stick with plant-based scraps and paper products, and you’ll be set.
It is important to remember to regularly “turn over” your compost with a shovel or other tool. Break apart any clumps and mix it up well. This has a few crucial benefits:
- introduces oxygen to speed up the process
- reduces odors
- prevents pests and diseases
Over time—anywhere from a few months to a year—your compost will turn dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling. That’s finished compost, and it can be mixed into garden beds, spread around trees, or used to refresh potting soil.
Composting doesn’t have to be perfect to make a difference. Even small efforts add up. Start where you are, use what you have, and adjust as you go. The important part is getting started—and letting your waste work for you instead of against you.
Compost consists of decomposed organic substances. Decomposition produces fertile, soft, dark soil that maintains forests and other plant life. A lawn or personal garden thrives on compost too. Composting can reduce food and other organic wastes. Composting is good for the environment and provides rich fertilizer to grow large, healthy produce or beautiful flowers. The Library has resources to help the beginning composter and bolster the more experienced one. #indypladults
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