Feed Your Soil: Composting Made Simple

When you’re done trimming, raking, or weeding, it’s tempting to toss everything into the green bin and call it a day. But what if your yard waste could do more?

In honor of Learn About Composting Day, we’re talking about how to turn yard and garden waste into something valuable: compost. Whether you’ve got a full landscape with established trees and hedges or a small veggie patch, composting is a simple way to give back to your garden and the planet.

Why Compost Yard Waste?

Composting diverts organic matter from landfills, reduces methane emissions, and builds healthier soil. If you're investing in a beautiful outdoor space, composting is a smart way to keep it thriving naturally.

Here’s what composting your yard waste can do:

• Enrich your soil with nutrients

• Improve drainage and water retention

• Reduce the need for chemical fertilizers

• Cut down on your green waste disposal

  
  

What You Can Compost from Your Yard

Not everything belongs in the compost bin, but here’s a list of common garden waste that’s safe and effective to compost:

• Leaves (shred them for faster breakdown)

• Grass clippings (use in thin layers to avoid matting)

• Pruned branches (chopped or chipped)

• Weeds (as long as they haven’t gone to seed)

• Plant trimmings and deadheaded flowers

• Sawdust or wood shavings (from untreated wood)

  
  

What to Skip

To keep your compost pile healthy and pest-free, avoid:

• Diseased plant material

• Weeds with seeds

• Treated wood

• Large branches or thick stems that haven’t been chipped

• Pet waste or meat scraps

  
  

Getting Started

You don’t need a fancy setup to start composting. A simple pile in a corner of the yard, a compost bin, or even a tumbler will do the trick. Here are the basics:

• Combine “browns” (dry leaves, twigs, paper) and “greens” (grass clippings, plant waste).

• Keep your pile moist but not soggy.

• Turn it regularly to keep air flowing and speed up decomposition.

If you don’t want to manage a compost pile yourself, look into local programs—some cities offer compost pickup, or you can drop off yard waste to be processed into compost elsewhere.

Make It Part of Your Routine

When you’re out in the yard doing maintenance, keep a bin or bag nearby for compostable materials. It’s one small habit that can add up to big benefits for your soil, your garden, and the environment.

As a Sonoma County Landscape Design company, LandZen is here to help you make the most of your outdoor space—not just through expert design and construction, but through practical, eco-friendly maintenance practices. Composting is one of the easiest ways to nourish your landscape naturally.

Have questions about how to maintain your landscape the sustainable way? Contact us—we’re here to help.