StretchLearn Course

Turn scraps into black gold. Compost by method, not by luck.

Balance carbon and nitrogen, pick the right bin, run a pile that actually heats, and fix smell, pests, and slow breakdown.

Preview Curriculum Back to Catalog

Beginner9 hr 25 minSelf PacedRegistered

Course Overview

What this course is designed to develop

Learn to turn kitchen scraps and yard waste into dark, crumbly compost by mastering the four levers that decide success: carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, moisture, oxygen, and particle size. You will mix browns and greens to a roughly 25 to 30 to 1 ratio, build a hot pile that hits 55 to 65 degrees Celsius, run a low-effort cold pile, diagnose a stinking or slow heap in minutes, and set up a worm bin indoors. By the end you can build, feed, turn, troubleshoot, and harvest compost, and apply it to beds, containers, and lawns without burning your plants.

Learning Outcomes

What the learner should be able to understand, build, or execute.

Balance browns and greens to a target carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of roughly 30 to 1

Choose a composting method and bin matched to your space, climate, and effort level

Build and run hot and cold piles, turning a hot pile to hold 55 to 65 degrees Celsius

Diagnose and fix the four common failures: smell, pests, slow breakdown, and a dry pile

Set up and feed a vermicompost worm bin and harvest castings

Test for finished compost and apply it correctly to beds, containers, and turf

Curriculum Preview

Inside the curriculum: a structured path from fundamentals to execution.

Preview the course structure, see how the modules build on one another, and understand the path this program is designed to take you through.

Module 1

Module 1: The Science: Browns, Greens, and the C:N Ratio

Understand what composting actually is, learn the four levers that drive it, and master the carbon-to-nitrogen balance that decides whether your pile works.

3 lessons

What Composting Really IsContent · 45 min

Preview Enabled

Browns and Greens: The Carbon-to-Nitrogen RatioContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Moisture, Air, and Particle SizeContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 2

Module 2: Choosing Your System: Bins and Methods

Match a composting method and bin to your space, climate, and effort, and learn exactly what can and cannot go in.

3 lessons

Hot, Cold, and In-Between MethodsContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Choosing and Siting a BinContent · 45 min

LMS Access

What Goes In and What Stays OutContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 3

Module 3: Building and Running a Pile

Put theory into practice: lasagne-layer a new pile, build a fast hot pile, run an easy cold pile, and read the thermometer.

3 lessons

Layering: Building the Pile RightContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Hot Composting and Cold Composting in PracticeContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Reading Temperature and Tracking ProgressContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 4

Module 4: Troubleshooting, Worms, and Using Compost

Fix the four common problems, set up an indoor worm bin, and put finished compost to work in beds, containers, and lawns.

3 lessons

Troubleshooting the Four Common ProblemsContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Vermicomposting: Composting with WormsContent · 50 min

LMS Access

Harvesting and Using Finished CompostContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Built for Application

A complete learning path, not a one-off inspiration hit.

This program is designed around progression: focused lessons, structured modules, applied resources, assessments, and a course rhythm that turns information into usable capability.

compostingcarbon nitrogen ratiohot compostingcold compostingvermicompostingcompost troubleshootingsoil amendmentkitchen scraps