Uses for Compost

Compost serves primarily as a soil conditioner, whether it's spread in a layer on the soil surface or is dug in. 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 of the most obvious uses for compost is to spread it on your garden beds. It is a good idea to do this in the Spring when the compost will release high amounts of nitrogen, which plants need for their root systems. As it degrades the nitrogen level degrades and other elements take over so the plant can flower.

You can also use compost to boost the growth of individual plants. This is called side dressing and is a way to use compost in a selective way.

One of the other uses of compost is to boost poor soil quality. This is called amending your soil. All you need to do to accomplish this is spread two to three inches of compost over the tilled surface of your garden soil. You should then mix the compost into the top six inches of earth. A garden soil that has been well mulched and amended periodically requires only about a ½ inch layer of compost yearly to maintain its quality.