What is compost?

[charlesModerator]

 Compost is a frequently used word and describes substances of vastly different qualities.

In my writing, I use the word to describe well rotted organic matter which is dark brown, reasonably crumbly and with few of the original ingredients being identifiable, as made over six months to a year in domestic gardens. I also use it to describe well rotted animal manure which fits the same description (in other words, not stable sweepings!).

Compost may also be the residue from growing mushrooms – ‘mushroom compost’ which is mainly straw and some peat – or from municipal treatment of garden refuse such as hedge prunings, grass mowings and weeds – ‘green waste compost’, which is best sieved to 15mm and even then often contains plenty of woody bits and of somewhat variable quality. Compost can also be made from leaves over at least a year.

The value of compost depends on both the original ingredients and on how they were composted. As a rule, animal manure has the most nutrients, but its lumpiness can make it more difficult to use. The nutrients are mostly stable after composting, so it can be spread in autumn and left on top of soil for the weather to finish breaking it down.

Compost is rarely worth sieving at home but purchased composts that have been sieved, or were so frequently turned that they are fine and crumbly, are delightfully easy to spread and can be used even on beds where carrots, parsnips and other difficult-to-germinate seeds are being sown.

[MJSJParticipant]

Hi Charles
Can you tell me if you should use any special ingredients in the compost for growing soft fruit .in the past I have made comfrey tea & banana & citrus skins tea….should I forget liquid feeding & put the comfrey leaves & fruit skins in the compost mix that is going on the fruit ? I use horse muck no added straw just picked off the field & heaped.I mulch with sea weed & old pine needles if available too.
Thanks mandy

[charlesModerator]

It’s easiest to feed via compost so I would put all those lovely ingredients in your heap and feed the soil around bushes with that

[MJSJParticipant]

Thanks…I was led to believe that potassium is water soluble & would be washed away out of the heap or from the ground by the time the plant needed a boost for fruit so would I need to add more around flowering time or is that just another garden myth ?
Mandy

[charlesModerator]

Hi Mandy, your second comment helps me make more sense of your first, which I now see is a lot about adding potassium. Your second comment, – if what you were led to believe is true, there would be little fruit on Earth as the potassium would have ‘leached away’.
Fortunately compost and humus hold it bound until plants need it.
The miracle of compost. It makes our lives easier and our plants can draw what they need,, when they need it.
And we don’t need fertiliser.

[MJSJParticipant]

Thanks Charles the more I read about no dig & understand about the soil the more I like it .
Thanks for you replies & for your videos all very helpful
Mandy

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