How does compost differ from peat, barks, chemical fertiliser and topsoil?
A. Natural bark and peat products contain little to no nutrients that are available for plant usage. Further, certain wood-based produced can even rob plant nutrients (nitrogen) from the soil or growing media that they are added, as they degrade. Compost is rich in macro and micro nutrients. Also, compost typically possesses a higher pH than either of these products. Topsoil is primarily mineral in nature, containing sand, silt and clay. Although compost contains some soil particles, it is much richer in organic matter and plant nutrients than topsoil. Conversely, although composts contain many essential plant nutrients, they are typically not contained in large enough volumes to be considered fertilisers. Interestingly, all composts contain a broad array of secondary nutrients, aside from the macro nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium).
