Composting turns suitable organic materials into an amendment that can improve soil structure. Begin with a bin or contained pile in a convenient, well-drained spot.
Balance the ingredients
Combine nitrogen-rich materials, such as vegetable scraps and fresh leaves, with carbon-rich materials, such as dry leaves, torn plain cardboard, and small twigs. Avoid adding meat, oily foods, or diseased plants to a basic home compost pile.
Keep it active
The pile should feel like a wrung-out sponge: moist, but not soaked. Turn it when practical to introduce air. If it smells unpleasant, add dry material and improve airflow. If decomposition stalls, check moisture and the mix of materials.
Use finished compost
When the material is dark, crumbly, and earthy smelling, blend it into beds or apply it as a top dressing. Timing varies with weather, pile size, and management.