Breakwater Garden

Rustic gardening for beginners • Composting for every season

Welcome to Breakwater Garden

A warm, rustic guide to starting your first garden with confidence. Our focus this season is composting—turning kitchen scraps into rich soil for a thriving autumn harvest.

Seasonal Guidance — A Year in Your Garden

Spring Renewal

Soil Prep & Bed Opening

Clear debris, test soil pH, and amend with compost. Start seeds for cool-loving greens and herbs.

Compost Kickoff

Begin a simple compost bin with greens, browns, and moisture. Aim for a balanced mix for rich harvest later.

Summer Sustenance

Water & Mulch

Deep water early morning, mulch to retain moisture. Prioritize tomatoes, peppers, and herbs.

Turn & Feed Compost

Turn pile to aerate; monitor temperature. Add dry leaves to balances moisture for ongoing composting.

Autumn Harvest

Harvest & Rotate

Pick ripened produce. Plant cover crops to protect soil over winter.

Compost Maintenance

Curb kitchen scraps, shred plant material, and maintain moisture for a robust winter batch.

Winter Rest

Soil Shield

Protect beds with mulch; plan next year’s crops and new composting tweaks.

Compost Curing

Let finished compost cure; prepare for spring amendments and new plantings.

Composting for Beginners

Turn waste into soil beauty. A simple, forgiving system to start today.

What to compost:

Vegetable scraps, fruit peels, coffee grounds, eggshells (crushed).

What not to compost:

Meat, dairy, diseased plants, oily/greasy foods.

Balance greens and browns:

Greens (nitrogen) with browns (carbon) for steady heat and decomposition.

Moisture & aeration:

Keep pile as damp as a wrung-out sponge; turn every 1–2 weeks.

Patience pays:

Finished compost is dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling.

Small-space options:

Compact bin or tumbler systems work for urban spaces.

Beginner Guides

Planting Basics

Choose beginner-friendly crops: lettuce, radish, beans, herbs. Start seeds indoors or directly outdoors after frost.

Seed Starting

Use seed trays, seedling mix, and bright light. Hardening off before transplanting.

Water Routines

Water deeply early in the day; mulch to preserve moisture and suppress weeds.

About Breakwater

Breakwater Garden is a rustic, beginner-friendly resource focused on sustainable practices, with a spotlight on composting to enrich soil, reduce waste, and empower seasonal gardening decisions.