When I use the word compost, it refers to the resulting product of the composting … Use finished compost in a layer on top of your soil to nourish the plants underneath. Some gardeners make what's known as compost tea with finished compost. This is called top-dressing. This is not what we are talking about here. Compost is raw, organic waste from your garden, kitchen, and home. And it’s an especially good supplier of micronutrients … Compost contains nutrients that your plants need for optimum growth, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. When the compost no longer gives off heat and becomes dry, brown, and crumbly, it's fully cooked and ready to feed to the garden. Compost also makes an excellent layer in any no-dig garden. In good soil, different molecules tend to glom onto each other, forming what are called aggregates: … What makes composting such an appealing gardening technique is that you can control the amount of organic waste you use and exactly what you put into your compost … In the UK and probably in other parts of the world, the word compost is used to describe potting soil. Good soil structure — what used to be called “good tilth” — is the basis for any good garden or farm. Add about 4 to 6 inches of compost to your flower beds and into your pots at the beginning of each planting season. Spread it on your garden. How Compost Helps Your Soil. According to the EPA , most Americans “throw-away” 30% of organic waste that can be composted. You can top-dress a garden, a tree, even a lawn (just sprinkle it in). Water will carry nutrients down, into the soil.