What is Organic Compost?
Compost is the result of a breakdown of organic products. Normally, that means that food scraps, plant scraps, and carbon-based materials are left to be eaten and decomposed by microorganisms, worms, and other natural processes. Organic compost is when this process happens without adding artificial fertilizers like pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
Organic compost is a wonderful addition to your garden, lawn, or flower beds. The organic components break down into their component parts which makes compost rich in nitrogen, carbon, and other key minerals.
Additionally, if it’s made correctly, the microorganisms that create organic compost create numerous pockets of air and moisture within the compost. This leaves many places for water to enter the compost. This increases its ability to hold water for plants and manage moisture runoff, among others.
While organic compost doesn’t replace all the value of commercial fertilizers, it can provide enough nutrients so that you don’t need fertilizer. At a minimum, you will need less. The best part is that it’s completely natural, reduces waste, and can even be free (with some work). Those are just some of the benefits of organic compost.
How to Make Organic Compost
You can buy organic compost at your local garden store, Home Depot, or Amazon. You want to make sure that it states that it’s organic to verify that there are no pesticides or inorganic chemical fertilizers that were used on the plants to make the organic compost.
You can also make your own. There are several different types of composting that you can do at home. Most of them are pretty easy and affordable. They help you to cut down on your home waste, and you can create your own organic compost for your garden or lawn.
Aerobic Composting Pile – Composting can be as simple as mixing organic materials in the right proportions, mixing them periodically and waiting.
Vermicomposting – This is a fancy term for using worms to help you compost. This can be a lot of fun. It has a bit more technique than a composting pile but can take less space and is a lot of fun, especially for the kids.
Bokashi Composting – Bokashi is a Japanese term for fermented organic matter. It involves decomposing material in a container to create compost.
Commercial Composting – While you can even compost in your kitchen or apartment, it’s more than they want to take on for some. No problem. In many areas, you can bring your waste to a composter or have them pick it up, and they will compost it for you. Each is a bit different, but many will periodically bring you a bucket of compost.
Uses for Organic Compost
Organic compost is a great addition to our garden, lawn, or flower bed. You mix it with the soil. The ideal time is to mix it before planting but you can also mix it in after planting.
Rather than mix it with the soil, you can also use compost as a mulch. Like any other mulch, the compost sits on top of the soil. This is a great addition around perennials, at the base of trees, or in a flowerbed.
To Add Compost as a Mulch
- Add a 2 to 4-inch layer of compost over the soil around your plants.
- Extend the layer outward about 12 inches from the plants.
It’s that easy. As the season goes on, the compost will eventually degrade and work its way into the soil. You’ll need to replace it the following season, but the soil, and your plants, will benefit from it.
How Much Organic Compost Should You Use
When you are trying to decide how much compost to buy, you need a few pieces of information:
- How many square feet are you trying to cover? You can get this by multiplying the width of the area by the length.
- How Deep Do You Want the Compost to Be? Generally, one to three inches of compost will give you the benefit that you need to grow. If this is your first season using it, you may want to plan on using 2-3 inches of compost.
Bags are typically measured in cubic feet. Here is an online calculator that you can use to get started on calculating how much you need.
For larger amounts, you want to ask when you order it, but to get you started, a dump truck is usually a little over 20 cubic feet.
Before you start shopping, make sure you know how big the area is that you want to cover.
Where to Find Organic Compost Near Me
Finding organic compost is pretty easy, no matter where you are. For starters, you can order it right from Amazon or Home Depot. Amazon sells mostly small volumes.
You can also check out your local garden supply store. They should have a variety of options for bags of organic compost. They can also typically tell you the best kinds and should be familiar with which ones are truly organic.
Often, it’s cheaper to buy larger amounts than multiple bags. Sometimes, the bags are just easier to move around.
How to Find Organic Compost in Bulk Near Me
You may want a larger amount than a few bags. You’ll likely need at least a small truck worth if you have a garden or a large area. Most of your local garden supply stores should be able to either provide you with truck loads of compost or direct you to where you can find them.
Using and Buying Organic Compost
Organic compost can be an amazing addition to your garden, lawn, or flower bed. It helps your plants to grow faster and stronger. It can help overcome weaker soil or improve even great soil. It’s well worth using to promote growth in your plants and flowers while also doing good things for the environment.
It’s fairly easy to compost on your own. You can also buy organic compost in bulk and in smaller amounts. Either option is readily open to you. Happy composting!