Choosing a Compost

Know your goal

Compost is used for amending or improving the existing soil. A gardener can amend their soil in different ways to achieve different results.  Three examples of compost uses are

  • Amending soil for vegetable gardening
  • Amending soil for flower gardening (annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs)
  • Amending soil for growing turf (grass, lawn)

You should consider using a soil rather than a compost if your desire if to change the grade of your project or if you want a different soil altogether.

Compost for vegetable gardening

                Choosing a compost for vegetable gardening is decided by choosing the benefits that we want to add to our garden.  Benefits such as loosening the existing soil (or adding tilth to our soil), Increasing the water holding capacity, adding biological diversity, raising nutrient levels,  the absence of harmful pathogens and weed seeds.  Different composts benefit our vegetable gardens in different ways.  Let’s take a look at some of the choices in compost and how they make us better vegetable growers.

Dairy compost   (an animal manure based compost)

                Dairy compost has good amounts of organic matter which enables it to loosen soil, adding tilth and increasing the water holding capacity. This choice of a compost also adds biology in as much as is available from the feedstock used to make the compost (manure, straw, and woodchips). The large number of microorganisms that labored in the decomposition of the composting process will without doubt infuse new life into a vegetable garden.  Nutrients are added by the use of dairy compost in as much as available from the feedstock.  It is a good source of nitrogen, potassium, as well as phosphorus.  So much so that dairy compost is capable of burning (damage to vegetable plants from over fertilization) if and when an over abundance of dairy compost is used in amending a soil.  Never use more than 40% dairy compost to 60% soil ratio.  By definition the composting process should have sterilized the material of any harmful pathogens or weed seeds.  This is one key difference between compost and animal manure.  During the composting process, a compost pile reaches temperatures that kill harmful pathogens and weed seeds, raw and aged manures do not achieve these temperatures. These benefits make dairy compost a good choice for vegetable gardens especially for the first several years while the soil is rebuilding. 

Composted Hardwood Humus   (a mushroom compost recipe)  

                Mushroom compost has very high amounts of organic matter which makes it a great choice for loosening vegetable garden soils and adding water holding capacity.  This choice of compost also adds biology in a unique manor in that it is very high in fungal activity. Fungal activity in a soil is a created design that bridges distances between soil nutrients.  In a single vegetable garden, literally miles of fungal hyphe bring soil nutrients together for their utilization by gardening plants. The nutrient contribution of mushroom compost is somewhat limited to the feedstock of hardwood wood products and the decomposition process of fungi. These nutrient benefits being nitrogen neutral compost, yet a fair source of potassium and phosphorus.  By definition the composting process should have sterilized the material of any harmful pathogens or weed seeds, leaving the beneficial biology behind to benefit your vegetable garden.  These benefits make mushroom compost a good choice for vegetable gardens especially as a maintenance or when used in conjunction with a nutrient rich compost.

Garden Compost, Recipe #5       (a nutrient dense compost recipe)

                Garden Compost, Recipe #5 has high amounts of organic matter enabling it to loosen the soil and increase the water holding capacity of a vegetable gardening soil.  The addition of this compost brings with it two main benefits to the biological activity in your vegetable garden.  First we inoculate this finished compost with several biological inoculants. These inoculants include general spectrum soil biology, mychorizal fungi, several nitrogen fixing bacteria strains, among others.  Second we add biological stimulants to this compost both during and after composting.  Stimulants that entice the biology seeded and growing in this compost to proliferate into your vegetable garden.   This compost is very much alive and diverse.  Recipe #5 raises nutrient levels in a vegetable garden not only from the base composts of dairy and mushroom, but also from the several other OMRI certified organic amendments that we add to the finished compost. We not only address the balancing of the macro nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus; but also the micro and trace nutrients.  We use naturally occurring rock powders to bring an abundance of micro and trace minerals to the vegetable plant, which in turn delivers these nutrients to your table in a biologically balanced form.  We designed this compost to aid gardeners in the growing of nutrient dense foods, rather than “organic” in name only.  By definition the composting process should have sterilized the material of any harmful pathogens or weed seeds.  Garden Compost, Recipe #5 is one of the highest quality composts on the market in our region of the nation for use in vegetable gardening.  The large amount of laboratory analysis, an amishman's consultant fees, and input costs is reflected in the purchase price.

Compost for flower gardening

                Choosing a compost for flower gardening is decided by choosing the benefits that we wish to add to our flower garden.  Benefits such as increased tilth, better drainage, increased water holding capacity, adding biological activity, and raising nutrient levels.  These benefits are not only good for growing flowers, but also other ornamental plants as well such as annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs.  Let’s take a look at some of the choices in compost and how they make us better flower gardeners.

Dairy Compost  (an animal manure based compost)

           Dairy compost has good amounts of organic matter which enables it to loosen soil, adding tilth, aiding in soil drainage and increasing the water holding capacity. This choice of compost also adds biology in as much as is available from the feedstock used to make the compost (manure, straw, and woodchips). The large number of microorganisms that labored in the decomposition of the composting process will without doubt infuse new life into a flower garden.  Nutrients are added by the use of dairy compost in as much as available from the feedstock.  It is a good source of nitrogen, potassium, as well as phosphorus. These are the main nutrients needed in the successful growth of ornamental plants.  So much so that dairy compost is capable of burning (damage to ornamental plants from over fertilization) if and when an over abundance of dairy compost is used in amending a soil.  Never use more than 40% dairy compost to 60% soil ratio, using far less for perennials, trees and shrubs 20%/80%.  By definition the composting process should have sterilized the material of any weed seeds.  This is one key difference between compost and animal manure.  During the composting process, a compost pile reaches temperatures that will kill weed seeds, raw and aged manures do not achieve these temperatures. These benefits make dairy compost a good choice for flower beds where ornamental plants will be planted. 

Composted Hardwood Humus   (a mushroom compost recipe)

                Mushroom compost has very high amounts of organic matter which makes it a great choice for loosening ornamental garden soils, greatly increasing drainage and adding water holding capacity. A leading benefit of using mushroom compost is the loosening of the soil structure.  Its use will add fluff to your flower bed.  This choice of compost also adds biology in a unique manor in that it is very high in fungal activity. Fungal activity in a soil is a created design that bridges distances between soil nutrients.  In a single flower garden, literally miles of fungal hyphe bring soil nutrients together for their utilization by gardening plants. The nutrient contribution of mushroom compost is somewhat limited to the feedstock of hardwood wood products and the decomposition process of fungi. These nutrient benefits being nitrogen neutral compost, yet a fair source of potassium and phosphorus.  By definition the composting process should have sterilized the material of any weed seeds, leaving the beneficial biology behind to benefit your flower bed.  These benefits make mushroom compost a good choice for ornamental gardens especially as a maintenance or when used in conjunction with a nutrient rich compost.

Garden Compost, Recipe #5       (a nutrient dense compost recipe)

                Garden Compost, Recipe #5 has high amounts of organic matter enabling it to loosen the soil, aid in drainage and increase the water holding capacity of an ornamental gardening soil.  The addition of this compost brings with it two main benefits to the biological activity in your flower garden, perennials, trees or shrubs.  First we inoculate this finished compost with several biological inoculants. These inoculants include general spectrum soil biology, mychorizal fungi, several nitrogen fixing bacteria strains, among others.  Second we add biological stimulants to this compost both during and after composting.  Stimulants that entice the biology seeded and growing in this compost to proliferate into your ornamental garden beds.   This compost is very much alive and diverse.  Recipe #5 raises nutrient levels in a garden bed not only from the base composts of dairy and mushroom, but also from the several other OMRI certified organic amendments that we add to the finished compost. We not only address the balancing of the macro nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus; but also the micro and trace nutrients.  We use naturally occurring rock powders to bring an abundance of micro and trace minerals to the ornamental plant, which in turn delivers these nutrients in the form of color, aroma and growth to your ornamental display in a biologically balanced form.  We designed this compost to aid gardeners in the growing of nutrient dense foods, although it is a bit of an over kill to be used in an ornamental context it will perform in a grandiose manor.  By definition the composting process should have sterilized the material of any weed seeds.  Garden Compost, Recipe #5 is one of the highest quality composts on the market in our region of the nation.  The large amount of laboratory analysis, an amishman’s consultant fees, and input costs is reflected in the purchase price.

Compost for growing turf or lawn grass

               Choosing compost for growing grass is decided by choosing the benefits that we want to add to our lawn or native areas.  Benefits such as increased water holding capacity, rich green color through fertility, stress tolerance, and heartiness under the wear and tear of activity.  Let’s take a look at some of the choices in compost and how they make us better growers of turf.

Dairy Compost  (an animal manure based compost)

                Dairy compost has good amounts of organic matter which enables it to increase the water holding capacity of a soil intended to have grass thrive. By adding organic matter to a soil for future grass, or even in the case of topdressing existing stands of grass, the added organic matter serves as a sponge for holding water.  This increased water holding capacity reduces the frequency of watering.  I like saving money on my water bill for years into the future.  The rich fertility of dairy compost supports a dark green stand of grass.  By nurturing an environment where water is conveniently stored and natural nutrients readily available a stand of turf is more able to tolerate stresses brought on by weather and recreational activity.  Because of these benefits, dairy compost is a great choice for the preparation before planting turf grass or the maintenance of an existing stand.

 

Composted Hardwood Humus   (a mushroom compost recipe)

                Mushroom compost has very high amounts of organic matter which enables it to increase the water holding capacity of a soil intended for the growing of turf.  By adding organic matter to a soil in preparation for sod or seeding of turf the added organic matter serves as a sponge for holding water.  This increased water holding capacity reduces the frequency of watering, which in turn lowers water bills.  If this compost has a weakness in the application of turf it would be its low nitrogen levels.  If this compost is used for turf we recommend that it be supplemented, several months down the road, with a nitrogen fertilizer of any type.  Mushroom compost nurtures a wonderful environment for the root zone of grass, by holding water, which enables turf to withstand stress better and remain hearty through rough activities of wear and tear.

Garden Compost, Recipe #5       (a nutrient dense compost recipe)

                Although Garden compost, Recipe #5 will grow turf wonderfully well, we do not recommend it for use on turf because of it substantial price.  For further reference to its benefits refer above to” compost for vegetable gardening”.

By Brian Hoogland

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Brian Hoogland is a fledgling writer and the founding member of Soil Rejuvenation, Gardenbedsupply.com. He gardens in Berthoud, Colorado.