Composting can sound like yet another chore for gardeners to figure out, but one content creator is making the case that it may be one of the simplest upgrades for a healthier harvest.
In a recent video, Carmen in the Garden (@carmeninthegarden) urged beginners to rethink store-bought fertilizer and start treating compost as a garden staple instead, telling viewers to "put the fertilizer bag down."
What's happening?
Carmen's recent TikTok went straight into why she is so strongly in favor of composting over fertilizer.
"I'm such a big advocate for compost. Mainly because fertilizer just feeds the plant — compost feeds your soil that feeds the plant ... compost compounds," she said in a voiceover.
@carmeninthegarden This is your sign to start composting 🪱 This week on Substack: 11 ways you can start composting today, the ideal ratio, what to avoid, troubleshooting, and how to apply it. You can find the post through the link in my bio. #garden #compost #harvest ♬ original sound - Carmen in the Garden
Carmen also pointed viewers toward a companion guide designed to help people begin composting right away, covering 11 possible starting methods as well as the ideal ratio, mistakes to avoid, common troubleshooting issues, and ways to use compost.
The process does not need to be difficult, but she emphasized that the mix still has to be balanced.
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Gardeners, Carmen explained, should aim for about two to three parts brown material to one part green, using dry leaves, cardboard, and paper bags more heavily than kitchen scraps and other nitrogen-rich inputs.
She also said compost benefits soil in several ways at once, from improving water retention and drainage to adding nutrients, strengthening disease and pest resistance, and supporting a closed-loop garden system.
"I started composting this year and have had the best harvest in only my second year of gardening. I am so passionate about it! And the best thing is, it's technically free!" a follower replied.
Why does it matter?
Compost can save money in more than one way.
It turns food scraps, yard waste, and paper products into something useful, and it can also reduce the need to keep buying certain soil inputs over and over again.
More people are turning to gardening as a way to cut grocery costs.
Growing food at home can help families spend less on produce, and many gardeners say homegrown fruits and vegetables taste better than store-bought options that were picked before peak ripeness.
Gardening can encourage more movement, more time outdoors, and a stronger connection to what ends up on the dinner table. Many also find that tending plants supports mental well-being by lowering stress and creating a sense of routine.
Composting also means less waste headed for the trash.
Instead of tossing peels, stems, leaves, and other organic material, households can turn some of it into a resource for future harvests.
What can I do?
One practical way to begin is to collect browns and greens separately, then add them together little by little until the pile stays near a two-to-three-to-one brown-to-green balance.
In broad terms, that means keeping dry leaves and cardboard in the brown category and fruit and vegetable scraps in the green one.
You also do not need a huge yard to get started, as one commenter noted.
"Balcony garden and I just researched how to make a compost trash bin. I've done one before, but I'm trying to get a bigger scale and I think this will help my garden for next year," they said.
Compost can be part of a broader low-cost growing strategy.
Growing your own herbs, greens, or vegetables can stretch a food budget and make fresh meals more rewarding.
Some cities offer free or discounted compost, especially if you are not producing enough at home yet. That can help beginners improve their soil while they learn the habit.
TikTok followers commended Carmen for simplifying this useful, nearly-free gardening hack.
"I love how you don't over complicate gardening. That's how it should be!!" one noted.
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