Beginner-friendly guide shows how food scraps can become nutrient-rich soil

A TikTok creator is showing viewers how leftover kitchen scraps and yard clippings can easily be transformed into nutrient-rich compost.

For people who have found composting confusing or intimidating, or those just beginning to try their green thumbs in their gardens, the short explainer by London's Priorities (@gardeningsimplified) is especially useful.

What happened?

She wrote: "How do you compost? Let me show ya how." Then, she walked viewers through basic composting steps and offered tips for success. 

First, London advised turning the compost weekly to promote the breakdown of organic materials. Fruits, vegetables, coffee bags, tea bags, and even eggshells are among the kitchen scraps fit for a garden's compost pile, according to London. 

@gardeningsimplified How do you compost? Let me show ya how #composting #compost #gardenlife #garden #gardening ♬ Whittling Time - Rusty Pulpit

Leaves, grass, cardboard, and garden clippings work, too. Your mix should be 30 parts carbon or "brown materials" such as dead leaves, and one part nitrogen or "green materials" such as grass.

Just remember that meat, dairy, and oily foods, along with treated materials, including stained wood and glossy paper, won't get you the results you desire.   

Why does it matter?

Composting adds value to your garden without the added cost of store-bought fertilizer. 

It also keeps organic scraps in use instead of sending them to landfills, where they'd produce methane, a heat-trapping gas contributing to rising global temperatures. Regular composting can make a meaningful difference, especially when whole neighborhoods get involved.

For gardeners, compost can improve soil structure by adding nutrients, which can lead to healthier plants and lower gardening costs over time. 

Growing fruits, vegetables, or herbs with compost can mean saving money on produce, enjoying fresher and often better-tasting food, and getting more from each season.

Gardening itself also offers benefits beyond the harvest, supporting physical activity, reducing stress, and improving mental well-being.

What are people saying?

Compost piles are active ecosystems, as demonstrated by the appearance of a "good noodle," which London identified as a king snake, at the end of the clip. She said it helps "keep the nope ropes away." 

Another TikToker said they had a similar experience with a snake: "I had this guy out there when I went to turn my pile and add some rotten veggies to it. I didn't harm him, just shooed him away." 

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