The Many Benefits of Good Organic Compost

Growing organically demands the use of high-quality compost and it should be part of any organic growing cycle.

Using compost regularly has many obvious benefits. Water and moisture retention is one of them. When applied as a mulch, compost can protect sun-drenched soil from heating up too much as it is a natural temperature moderator. Any soil that dries up too quickly can benefit considerably from a layer of compost mulch as it slows down evaporation and water runoff, holding moisture between waterings.

The other great benefit of using compost is the quantity and variety of essential nutrients it holds and slowly releases into the soil. These include nitrogen, potassium, carbon and phosphorous among others. Good compost should have a balanced amount of these elements and when making your own, you are in control of the ingredients that go into it and are able to balance them properly.

Compost can also attract earthworms, nature’s hard-working recyclers. Not only do they efficiently convert organic matter into plant food, but they also create underground tunnels that are fantastic for drainage and aeration.

An added feature of using organic compost is to make the soil easier to work with. Thanks to its natural density-balancing qualities, organic compost can loosen hard or clay soil but also clump up soil that’s too loose.

At E-gardens we try to produce organic compost whenever possible and use it directly in the gardens where we make it. We recycle balanced amounts of selected garden waste, and selecting the right ingredients is fundamental to the making of great compost.

The most important balance to pay attention to is the green/brown balance. Among what composes the “green” part are grass cuttings, green prunings, weeds and uncooked vegetables. These tend to be rich in nitrogen, act as activators, rot quickly and form a wet and smelly muddle.

The “brown” part instead, is formed of older plants, sticks, branches, straw. These are rich in carbon and are much slower to decay but give compost body and texture.

For great compost, a balanced mix of these two types of ingredients is necessary.

The other fundamental aspect of making compost is to have a suitable area that facilitates and speeds up the process.

Compost boxes don’t have to be huge and you can fit one in every garden. The best system works by aligning boxes next to each other so to allow an easy turning of the compost heap and make decomposition happen faster.

At E-gardens we offer compost box installation service. Our compost boxes are made of wood and designed to facilitate the various stages of compost making.

We also deliver high-quality compost mulch and plant food directly to your garden.

If you are interested in treating your plants to some organic compost goodness, contact us and find out more.