What are the benefits of compost?
Composting fits into a complete manure management system and can offer additional management options for other livestock byproducts. It can be sold in niche markets for additional farm income. When done properly, composting destroys most pathogens and weed seeds and minimizes or eliminates odors. Compost is a source of slow-release nutrients, so its use helps protect water quality. Compost also contains many beneficial microorganisms that stimulate plant growth, limit diseases and improve soil. What are some uses for compost? • Building depleted soils. • Preventing soil erosion. • Making potting mixtures. • Installing, maintaining or renovating lawns. • Making compost teas. • Maintaining and renovating vegetables and flower gardens. • Controlling plant disease. What is the composting process? Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) sources are mixed together to obtain a ratio of 25:1 and a moisture level of 40 to 65 percent. A rule of thumb is to use two parts “brown” (carbon materials) to one par
Compost has many benefits when added to soils. • Compost adds both huge numbers of living creatures and the food for more living creatures to the soil. These bacteria, fungi and protozoa can pull nitrogen from the air, minerals from the rock particles and help prevent diseases • Humus is a sponge-like substance that holds moisture. This property can reduce the need for watering by helping the soil absorb rainfall and by holding moisture longer. • Compost has the property of holding particles together. In soils with very small particles, it glues many of the small clay particles together providing air spaces for the soil to breathe and for water to soak in. Amazingly compost can help sandy soils retain moisture through the same action. • The compost itself contains mineral nutrients that plants need. Although it is not as concentrated as most commercial fertilizers, its nutrients are easily absorbable and in an organic form that never burns the plant or damages soil life. • Composting y
As recycling continues to prove a worthy effort, the benefits of using compost have been extensively studied. The results reveal physical, chemical, biological, and environmental benefits. There are many uses for compost, all of which have proven beneficial in some way. Compost benefits the soil where it is used by improving drainage and moisture absorption, especially in soils that are otherwise poor quality. This makes growing in various types of soils easier and more productive. Compost also benefits the plant matter grown in the soil by providing nutrients to the plant’s growing area. Compost does not make an effective fertilizer for vegetable and ornamental plants, but it helps reduce runoff, making the use of fertilizer more productive and keeping it out of the water. Environmentally, the use of compost has been shown to remediate, or clean up, contaminated soils by reducing toxic runoffs, binding certain toxins that might otherwise escape, and it prevents erosion when used near
Composting is nature’s way of recycling. Compost returns nutrients and organic matter to the soil, and feeds beneficial micro-organisms, insects and worms. It improves the texture, oxygen-retaining capabilities and moisture-holding capacity of the soil. Compost is a soil conditioner and a source of fertilizing nutrients. It conditions and improves the overall structure of soils by adding organic matter. Compost contains fertilizing nutrients that are released slowly over time. This can reduce, if not eliminate, the need for chemical fertilizers. Beyond its benefit to gardens, there’s another compelling reason to have some form of composting system in your yard. Putting garden and kitchen material in a compost bin removes these materials from curbside waste collection and saves landfill space. Composting reduces greenhouse gases that are produced when organic material decomposes in a landfill without oxygen.
Compost benefits plants by putting air and natural organic compounds into the soil,thereby feeding plants on a steady slow basis, improving the soil texture and helping with water retention. Compost also benefits the environment by reducing waste and putting it to good use. Can compost be made in a simple way in your own back yard? Certainly, no fancy equipment is necessary, but some kind of container or enclosure is helpful. What kinds of waste can be put in compost? All kinds of organic matter, such as vegetable and fruit peels, egg shells,coffee grounds, leaves, grass clippings,old plants and weeds you might pull from your garden. You can also put in nut shells, sawdust, cotton hulls and shredded branches. The list is basically endless but no bones or meat waste as these will rot and become harmful. How long does it take to turn organic waste into useable fertilizer for your yard? It depends on the method used. The hot or the cold compost method. The Hot Method For the hot method, a
