What’s compost? This is simply decomposed or decayed organic matter created through the process of composting. You can use a variety of methods and ingredients to produce compost. After sometime, the organic matter decomposes and breaks down fully, thus the compost becomes stable. When there’s no more decomposition, a rich black soil called the “black gold” or humus is formed. Why it’s called black gold is because it’s a priceless but a valuable resource to gardeners.
It’s the most effective way of turning organic matter to soil and the nutrients recycled to grow healthy plants.
Table of Contents
What’s composting?
It’s a natural process of decomposition where raw organic ingredients are turned into humus.-a dark crumbly end result. The organic matter is naturally digested as food by microbes.
Composting through worms
An easiest way to compost organic matter or your household waste is through worm composting. The microbes and worms do the work for you. All you do is add some small amounts of food and garden waste and this becomes the worms’ food. Within days, it is completely turned to compost. Two products are extracted from a worm farm; the nutrient -rich vermicast and liquid extract released in the process. Through composting, you achieve healthy returns with high yields from your garden. It’s a sustainable way of reducing your kitchen landfill and save money.
Why compost?
It affects PH levels
Apart from reducing the landfill, adding compost to your soil helps neutralize your soil. Depending on the substance you add to your bin, you could get an alkaline or acidic mix. Thus a PH test kit comes handy to help test your soil and the compost. That way you know how appropriate it is for your garden.
A neutral PH is usually 7.0 and to adjust it, you can add wood ash or limestone to your acidic compost. To bring the alkaline levels down, use sphagnum peat or Iron Sulphate. The ultimate result should be a neutral compost to add to your yard soil.
Brings a biological factor
Microbes, bacteria, worms and a myriad of other beneficial microorganisms help breakdown organic matter into compost. Larger creatures play the role of mixing and aeration and casting helps in enriching the compost further. The critters present in compost munch, chew and defecate, then stir and mix your compost creating a variable plant haven. Without these biological inhabitants, it would be hard to breakdown the larger materials.
Protects your plants from diseases
The creatures mentioned above burrow through to make meal out of your discards. The nutrients are converted to something that is absorbable by the plants’ roots. The process of decomposition continues with until everything is degraded including the toxins that may be present.
Some of the bacteria produce an antibiotic property to the soil and thus protecting your plants from some soil-borne diseases.
Soil structure
When you’ve had vegetables and other plants in your backyard for long, the soil is depleted. Adding compost to this soil increases its structure. When the inorganic compounds are mixed with compost, they form a healthy structure allowing oxygen and water to flow through. The nutrient content of the soil increases significantly and you can expect better returns.
You don’t have to keep the landfill at your backyard- it’s a health hazard that you can avoid. Just get a good composting bin and look for worms from a good supplier like Denju Worms. That way, you’ve a sustainable way of dealing with your organic waste as you improve your soil.