Compost: Turning Food Scraps & Garden Waste into Gold

Composting turns kitchen and yard waste into an outstanding soil amendment. Photo: Courtesy of UC Regents

What is compost?

Composting is the process of turning kitchen and yard waste and other organic materials into a decomposed soil amendment. It is a natural process that provides beneficial microbes and is a key ingredient in organic gardening and farming. It can be used in container gardens, vegetable and flower gardens, with shrubs and trees, and on established lawns.

Organic matter is any material originating from living material that has died and decayed, such as peat moss, manure, crop residues, compost or cover crops. Any organic material that is applied to the surface and incorporated into the soil is called a soil amendment.