Compost - Why Make it Anyway?

As anyone who has composted will tell you, it can be a lot of work. Most commercial farm efforts have moved away from composting with animal manures, leaves and straws and have moved instead to the easier chemical fertilizers. However, these do not improve the soil and year after year plants remove materials that are never returned and the soil is less healthy each time.

Compost is one of the best mulches and soil amendments that nature has developed and it will do more than the commercial fertilizers it replaces because it also improves the soil. Best of all, compost is cheap. It can be made without investing anything but your time and energy. As you use compost it improves soil structure, texture, and aeration and increases the soil's water-holding capacity. Clay soils are made less sticky and sandy soils are better able to retain water. Adding compost improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root development in plants. Certain microorganisms feed on the organic matter provided by the compost and keep the soil in a healthy, balanced condition. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, the big three of plant nutrition, will be produced naturally by the feeding of microorganisms, so few if any soil amendments will need to be added.

Most gardeners have long understood the value of this rich, dark, earthy material in improving the soil and creating a healthful environment for plants. Plus the understanding of how to make and use compost is in the public interest. Waste disposal is at crisis levels in parts of the world and is becoming worse in others. Landfills are overflowing and new sites are difficult to find. Legislation over their use is rising to prevent material from entering the landfill when it could be disposed of or recycled elsewhere. While many municipalities have begun programs of organic waste composting and recycling, every pound kept out of the program is a saving to the taxpayer. Even though many of those municipalities allow pick up of a limited amount of compost, it is easier to move it from the back yard. There is no need to throw away materials when you can use them to improve your lawn and garden. Start composting instead.

Darrell Feltmate is an avid gardener who has been composting and gardening for over 25 years with gardens up to 1/2 acre and compost piles for each. His composting site may be found at Compost Central. You can be a master composter in no time at all.

Much of his compost uses wood shavings from his wood turning hobby. The site for wood turning may be found at Around the Woods.