Composting for Beginners: How to Start Composting for a Vegetable Garden

Composting for Beginners: How to Start Composting for a Vegetable Garden

If you’re new to gardening—or even if you’ve been at it for a few seasons—you may not be sure how to compost, or even if composting for beginners makes sense. After all, depending on the size of your backyard, you probably don’t want a stinky, nasty pile of rotting scraps just laying around.

But the good news is there are many ways to compost, and most of them are much less disgusting than you think. And you don’t need fancy bins or a degree in soil science. You just need a basic understanding of how it works and a little bit of patience.

This beginner’s guide will walk you through everything you need to know: what compost is, how to make it, what to put in (and leave out), how long it takes, and how to actually use it to grow stronger, healthier vegetables.

What Is Compost?

Compost is decomposed organic matter—kitchen scraps, yard waste, dried leaves—that breaks down into dark, crumbly, soil-like material.

Just to name a few, compost:

• Makes soil easier for roots to grow in and drains better
• Supports soil microbes that help plants grow
• Gives plants nutrients slowly over time
• Helps soil hold onto water during dry weather
• Cuts down on how often you need to use other fertilizers

It’s also an easy way to use kitchen and yard scraps, so you waste less while growing more.

Want to compare compost to other soil boosters? Check out Garden Fertilizers for Vegetables.

What You Need to Start Composting

You can start a compost pile anywhere you’ve got a bit of space—no expensive gear required. Here’s the basic setup:

1. A Bin, Pile, or Tumbler

You can compost in:

• A simple open pile
• A homemade bin (wood, wire, or plastic)
• A store-bought compost tumbler (great for faster breakdown)

Pile Size Matters: For faster decomposition, aim for a pile that’s at least 3x3x3 feet. Smaller piles will still break down but it takes longer.

Sun vs. Shade? Either works. Sun speeds up the process but may dry it out faster. In shade, it breaks down more slowly but stays more evenly moist. Just monitor your pile and water if it gets too dry.

2. Browns + Greens

You need a mix of:

• Greens = nitrogen-rich “wet” materials like fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and fresh grass clippings
• Browns = carbon-rich “dry” materials like dry leaves, straw, newspaper, or shredded cardboard

Ratio Tip: Start with 2 to 4 parts browns for every 1 part green, by volume. Don’t worry about precision—just adjust if your pile seems off.

• Too wet or smelly? Add more browns.
• Too dry or breaking down slowly? Add more greens.

3. Air + Moisture

For compost to break down, it needs oxygen and moisture. Turn your pile regularly to keep air moving. And water occasionally if you aren’t getting much rain. Your compost should feel like a wrung-out sponge (damp but not soggy).

What Can You Compost?

Here’s a guide to what you can throw on the pile:

Good to Compost:

• Fruit and vegetable scraps
• Crushed eggshells
• Coffee grounds and filters
• Tea bags (unbleached)
• Yard trimmings and dead leaves
• Straw, shredded paper, and undyed cardboard

Use With Care:

• Grass clippings – Only if they haven’t been treated with herbicides or pesticides
• Weeds – Avoid composting weeds that have gone to seed or have persistent roots unless you’re using hot composting, which reaches temps high enough to kill them

Do NOT Compost:

• Meat, bones, dairy, or oily food (attracts pests)
• Diseased plants (will spread the disease right back to your garden)
• Pet waste (lots of dangerous pathogens)
• Glossy, coated, or colored paper (can leach chemicals into your garden)
• Anything treated with harsh chemicals (self-explanatory, right?)

How Long Does Composting Take?

The timeline depends on your pile size, how often you turn it, what you put in, and the weather.

• Passive pile (no turning): 6–12 months
• Active pile (turned weekly): 2–4 months
• Hot composting (ideal conditions): 6–8 weeks

Finished compost will be dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling, and no longer recognizable as food or leaves.

How to Use Compost in a Vegetable Garden

Once it’s ready, here’s how to get the most out of your compost:

Mix It Into Your Soil

Before planting in spring, mix 1–2 inches of compost into your garden beds or containers. It improves structure and slowly releases nutrients throughout the season. (Here’s how to prep your garden soil properly for planting.)

Use It as Mulch

Apply a layer around your plants to suppress weeds, keep soil cool, and hold in moisture. Over time, it breaks down and feeds the soil underneath. I’ve got a guide to getting started with mulch to learn more.

Add Some Midseason

If your plants need a boost later in the season, sprinkle compost around the base of each plant and gently work it into the topsoil.

Beginner Composting Tips

• Chop scraps smaller to help them break down faster.
• Keep a balance of greens and browns—don’t overdo it on one or the other.
• Turn once a week for quicker results.
• Make two piles: one “active” pile and one for adding new materials to use next season.
• Avoid chemicals: Don’t compost anything that’s been treated with pesticides or herbicides—residues can persist and damage your vegetables.

Compost vs. Other Fertilizers

While compost is great for long-term soil health, it’s not a replacement for everything.

• Compost provides gentle, slow-release nutrients and improves soil structure.
• Organic fertilizers feed soil microbes and add targeted nutrients.
• Synthetic fertilizers give plants fast, specific nutrients but don’t improve soil quality.

Learn more about fertilizers and what each kind does in my post on organic vs synthetic fertilizers.

FAQs: Beginner Composting Questions

Other Composting Ideas

Once you understand the basics of regular composting, you may want to try some other methods, especially if you have space or time. My favorite composting method is worm bin composting, where I keep a bucket with holes drilled into the sides right down in the soil (pictured below in a dormant bed). I add compost items directly into the bucket, which has some dirt and worms in it already. The worms take care of the composting for me and help the soil in the process!

Happy Composting!

You don’t need a perfect ratio or a huge backyard to make compost work. Whether you use a pile, bin, or tumbler, composting is one of the most rewarding (and low-cost) ways to support your vegetable garden.

Compost can be great for an organic garden – especially if you only use organic vegetable and fruit scraps. Here’s a complete beginner’s guide to organic gardening if you want to learn more.