Ripe compost should look like good, rich soil. The decomposition process takes a minimum of three months, with a lot of work, and up to three years, depending on the compost materials you start with. Use as mulch around trees. Compost at this stage contains partially decomposed materials and should not be incorporated directly into the soil. This is mulching which you should spread on the soil in flowerbeds and vegetable gardens in the fall.
It will continue to mature during the winter and will enrich the soil in spring. When it is ripe, or fully mature, compost is the perfect organic amendment for planters and flowerbeds, the vegetable garden, lawn, and generally all plants. It improves soil structure. Finished compost is dark brown, crumbly, and is earthy-smelling. Small pieces of leaves or other ingredients may be visible. If the compost contains many materials which are not broken down, it is only partly decomposed.
This product can be used as a mulch, but adding partly decomposed compost to the soil can reduce the amount of nitrogen available to the plants. Allow partly decomposed compost particles to break down further or separate them out before using compost on growing plants. Or add extra nitrogen such as manure, to ensure that growing plants will not suffer from a nitrogen deficiency.
Compost is great for flower gardening, herb gardening, organic lawn care and vegetable gardening and even houseplants. A garden soil regularly amended with compost is better able to hold air and water, drains more efficiently, and contains a nutrient reserve that plants can draw on. The amended soil also tends to produce plants with fewer insect and disease problems.
The compost encourages a larger population of beneficial soil microorganisms, which control harmful microorganisms. It also fosters healthy plant growth, and healthy plants are better able to resist pests. One inch thick is enough to spread on your garden beds. Compost continues to decompose, so eventually the percentage of organic matter in the soil begins to decline.
In northern climates, compost is mostly decomposed after two years in the soil. Adding these in equal layers will allow the carbon and nitrogen in these products to work together to decompose the material.
Another essential part of your composting enterprise is water. Without water, a compost pile will not decompose. However, if you have a covered compost bin or live in a dryer climate, you will need to water your compost just like you do your garden. Adding yard trimmings to your compost that have been treated will result in that treatment killing off good bacteria in your compost. That may result in contaminated compost or compost that will not decompose properly.
There are many times during the year when you can add compost to your garden. It can also be beneficial to add compost multiple times during the growing season. Water in or lightly rake. FAQ: When is the best time to add compost? Is one timing option better than another? You might also like Protecting the watershed Part 2: Strive for 5 percent organic matter. To Blog or Not to Blog?
Burch Farms: 6, compost-enriched acres.
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