From Scraps to Soil: Composting & Soil Building

Healthy soil is teeming with life! Beneath our feet is a bustling underground community of billions of microorganisms, fungi, worms, and insects all working together to transform dead organic matter into rich, fertile earth. 

Invisible to us, living soil breathes, keeps energy moving, stores and exchanges nutrients, cleans water, and enables basic life processes for all living things.

Our job is to feed and nurture the soil so it can support all of us.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

Why living soil matters

How decomposition works in nature

Step-by-step instructions for hot composting, cold composting, composting in place, and vermiculture

How to make and use compost tea and worm tea

Ways to keep composting fun and sustainable for the long term

Why Living Soil Matters

Healthy soil isn’t just “dirt.” It’s a living ecosystem that is an entire soil food web, made up of:

Bacteria – Break down simple organic materials and release nutrients.

Fungi – Form networks that help plants absorb water and minerals.

Actinomycetes – Specialized bacteria that decompose tough plant fibers.

Protozoa & Nematodes – Small predators that help control microbial populations.

Worms – Nature’s tillers, mixing soil layers and adding nutrient-rich castings.

Arthropods – Beetles, mites, and springtails that shred organic matter.

When we compost, we’re creating the perfect conditions for these life forms to thrive. The end result is humus — dark, crumbly, sweet-smelling organic matter that improves soil fertility, water retention, and resilience.

The Carbon–Nitrogen Balance

All composting methods rely on a balance between carbon-rich materials (“browns”) and nitrogen-rich materials (“greens”):

Browns (carbon): dry leaves, straw, cardboard, wood chips, shredded paper.

Greens (nitrogen): kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings, fresh plant trimmings.

Rule of thumb: 2–3 parts browns to 1 part greens, by volume.

Moisture: like a wrung-out sponge.

Airflow: essential for aerobic decomposition.

Composting Methods

1. Hot Composting (Thermophilic)

Best for: Fast compost (4–6 weeks), weed seed & pathogen destruction.

How to do it:

1. Build a pile at least 3’x3’x3’ for heat retention.

2. Layer browns and greens, ending with browns.

3. Add water as you build — damp, not soggy.

4. Insert a compost thermometer. Aim for 130–160°F.

5. Turn every 2–3 days to maintain heat.

Signs it’s working: Steaming when turned, earthy smell, volume decreases quickly.

2. Cold Composting

Best for: Low-maintenance composting with minimal labor.

How to do it:

1. Choose a bin or open pile location.

2. Add kitchen scraps and garden waste as you have them.

3. Cover fresh material with browns to reduce pests and odor.

4. Let nature work — decomposition may take 6–12 months.

Note: Fewer weed seeds killed due to lower temperatures.

3. Composting In Place (Sheet Mulching / Lasagna Bed)

Best for: Building soil directly in the garden.

How to do it:

1. Mow or flatten vegetation.

2. Layer cardboard/newspaper to smother weeds.

3. Alternate layers of greens and browns, each 2–4 inches thick.

4. Water each layer.

5. Finish with mulch to retain moisture.

6. Plant immediately in pockets of soil or wait until decomposition is further along.

7. Continue to add organic matter to the ground as nature does, “Chop and Drop” to use a permaculture term. Scraps can be covered with mulch to look nice and provide a good environment for decomposition.

4. Vermiculture (Worm Composting)

Best for: Indoor or small-space composting, producing high-quality castings.

How to do it:

1. Get a worm bin and some red wigglers (Eisenia fetida).

2. Add bedding (moistened shredded paper, leaves, coconut fiber, peat moss).

3. Feed small amounts of kitchen scraps weekly or every few days depending on how many worms you have. Cover food scraps with fresh bedding to eliminate odors.

4. Pay attention to temperature. They are most comfortable between 55–80°F.

5. Keep the bedding moist but not too wet. Provide drainage and collect the runoff, or leachate which can be diluted and used as a soil amendment.

6. Harvest castings every 3–6 months or so by feeding only one side of the bin.

Bokashi Fermentation

Best for: Composting all kitchen waste, including meat & dairy, in small spaces.

How to do it:

1. Use an airtight container.

2. Sprinkle bokashi bran, inoculated with bacteria, yeast, and other microbes, over each layer of food scraps.

3. Seal and ferment in this anaerobic environment for 2–4 weeks.

4. Bury fermented material in soil to finish decomposition.

Compost Products & Their Uses

Finished Compost: A living and nutrient rich soil amendment that can be used as a potting mix or garden bed ingredient or as a high quality natural fertilizer when applied as a top dressing above the root zone of established plants and trees growing in the ground.

Worm castings: A super nutrient soil amendment after the worms are finished with it! A little bit can go a long way as long as there is moisture and abundant organic matter available to keep the populations going strong.

Worm bin leachate: Concentrated nutrient rich fertilizer collected as runoff from the worm bin.

Worm tea: Aerated brew made from harvested worm castings to boost microbe populations.

This living brew should be applied to soil that contains organic matter within 24 hours.

Compost Tea: Aerated brew made from finished compost to boost microbe populations.

This living brew should be applied to soil that contains organic matter within 24 hours.

Composting and building beautiful healthy soil feels great! We reduce waste, regenerate life, restore ecosystems and reconnect with the life cycles that sustain us.

It feels even better when we share it with our friends and loved ones!

Get your neighbors involved! Start a community composting project and start sharing your experiences, compost, and home grown vegetables with each other and watch a more secure and sustainable life take root in your life!