Soil
amendment is an important process for good plant health. One of the most
common and easiest amendments is compost.
Combining soil and compost can increase aeration, beneficial microbes, nutrient
content, water retention, and more. Plus, you can make your own in a cost-saving
process that uses your yard waste and kitchen scraps.
Why Use Compost as Soil Amendment?
Mixing compost with soil is a win-win for the garden.
Amending soil with compost provides numerous benefits and is a natural way to
enhance soil health. However, using too much compost as soil amendment can
cause certain problems, especially with specific plants. Learn how to add
compost to soil at the correct ratio to optimize the advantages of this common
soil amendment.
Mixing compost with soil provides nutrients for plants today
but also enhances soil for future years. The amendment naturally breaks down,
releasing important macro-
and micronutrients while feeding the beneficial biological organisms in the
soil. It also increases the porosity of the soil and helps conserve moisture.
There are many other soil amendments, but most only provide one
or two advantages, while compost is responsible for many benefits. Compost will
naturally enhance the health of soil and will even increase good organisms,
such as earthworms.
How to Add Compost to Soil
First, make sure your compost is well rotted and not
contaminated with weed seeds.
Some experts recommend that compost be spread over the soil
and not mixed in. This is because digging will disturb the delicate mycorrhizal
fungi, which help plants access nutrients from deep in the earth. However,
in clay or sandy soils, amending soil with compost will enhance the soil enough
to warrant such disruption.
If your soil has a good texture, you can simply spread the compost on the surface. Over time, rain, worms and other natural actions will wash the compost into the plant’s roots. If you are making your own potting soil, mix 1 part compost with 1 part each peat, perlite, and top soil.
A good rule of thumb on using soil and compost to perk up
the garden is not to use more than 3 inches (7.6 cm.). Vegetable gardens
benefit from this higher range unless you had already worked in the previous
season’s yard waste.
Ornamental beds generally need less, while a fall cover crop
of 1-3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm.) provides some protection for plant roots and
keeps moisture in the soil. A spring application of just ½ inch (1.3 cm.) will
gently begin to feed plants and help prevent those early annual weeds.
Soil
amendment is an important process for good plant health. One of the most
common and easiest amendments is compost.
Combining soil and compost can increase aeration, beneficial microbes, nutrient
content, water retention, and more. Plus, you can make your own in a cost-saving
process that uses your yard waste and kitchen scraps.
Why Use Compost as Soil Amendment?
Mixing compost with soil is a win-win for the garden.
Amending soil with compost provides numerous benefits and is a natural way to
enhance soil health. However, using too much compost as soil amendment can
cause certain problems, especially with specific plants. Learn how to add
compost to soil at the correct ratio to optimize the advantages of this common
soil amendment.
Mixing compost with soil provides nutrients for plants today
but also enhances soil for future years. The amendment naturally breaks down,
releasing important macro-
and micronutrients while feeding the beneficial biological organisms in the
soil. It also increases the porosity of the soil and helps conserve moisture.
There are many other soil amendments, but most only provide one
or two advantages, while compost is responsible for many benefits. Compost will
naturally enhance the health of soil and will even increase good organisms,
such as earthworms.
How to Add Compost to Soil
First, make sure your compost is well rotted and not
contaminated with weed seeds.
Some experts recommend that compost be spread over the soil
and not mixed in. This is because digging will disturb the delicate mycorrhizal
fungi, which help plants access nutrients from deep in the earth. However,
in clay or sandy soils, amending soil with compost will enhance the soil enough
to warrant such disruption.
If your soil has a good texture, you can simply spread the compost on the surface. Over time, rain, worms and other natural actions will wash the compost into the plant’s roots. If you are making your own potting soil, mix 1 part compost with 1 part each peat, perlite, and top soil.
A good rule of thumb on using soil and compost to perk up
the garden is not to use more than 3 inches (7.6 cm.). Vegetable gardens
benefit from this higher range unless you had already worked in the previous
season’s yard waste.
Ornamental beds generally need less, while a fall cover crop
of 1-3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm.) provides some protection for plant roots and
keeps moisture in the soil. A spring application of just ½ inch (1.3 cm.) will
gently begin to feed plants and help prevent those early annual weeds.