Composting is a natural process of recycling food waste, lawn and garden waste along with other organic matter such as leaves and newspapers. It is all natural resulting in improved soil quality, nutrient recycling and water conservation.
You are able to fertilize and improve the soil with natural ingredients that provide plant nutrients and beneficial microbial and other organisms, such as fungal mycelium and earthworms, that enhance the soil environment.
The Advantages of Applying Compost
There is a phrase “Black Gold” and that exactly is what compost material is. Compost that you have generated in your own backyard by processing food waste, lawn clippings, ripped up papers, especially newspapers, leaf litter. Mixing the greens and the browns biodegradable waste products that are generated in our home or around the yard.
This compost material can be spread across the garden soil, dug in and used to supplement nutrients in the growing beds of our gardens. First and foremost, you will be adding microbial material to your soils that will bring more life and energy to your soil and ultimately to your plants. It’s a type of food for the soil.
It means you will not need to use commercial and artificial chemicals on your souls to boost the growth. That will save you hard earned cash. It will protect you and your family from artificial chemicals. The compost will also add to your mulch layer which is designed to suppress weeds or the unintended plants that pop up in everyone’s garden. This also means no pesticide usage to kill the weeds either. That is another money saving aspect and protection for you from pesticides.
All the while, the richer soil will give rise to greater microbial diversity within your soil. Greater diversity will mean a more efficient and faster processing of soil maturation. This in turn will create the perfect environment for the vegetable and flower garden.
By these advantages, the soil structure will be improved that soil organisms and root structures will move more freely through the soil substrata with less stress and resistance. By creating a healthier plant root environment, the soil will be easier also for you to cultivate and care for. Water will penetrate more easily and the compost material will also help retain the soil moisture. At the same time, the compost helps maintain an ideal pH level in the soil that is optimum for plant growth.
The water holding capacity will be enhanced overall. As mentioned above, not just easing entry of water into the soil, but retaining it within the soil layer means there will not be the hardening or crusting of the very top soil layer that makes it hard and even impossible for water penetration. If this occurs, water will simply runoff the garden and even wash away clumps of soil. A healthy soil will also conserve water in your garden environment. It is a win-win situation.
To summarise, the key benefits of using compost are as follows:
- Enriched soil structure
- Enhanced soil biodiversity
- Improve soil structure
- Maintain healthy pH levels
- Reduce stress in root zones
- Create healthier plant root environment
- Produce healthier flower heads and bigger food crops
- Easier work environment for gardener
- Improve water holding capacity of soil
- Conserve water
- Reduce water runoff
- Suppress weeds
- Eliminate use of pesticides and fertilizers
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