Best Ways to Use Compost

Best Ways to Use Compost
August 31, 2015 Cure All Pest Control

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Compost is ‘black gold’ to gardeners and is the best way to add nutrients to your soil and encourage strong and healthy plant growth. If you’re thinking of starting your own garden composting but don’t know what you can do with it, here are some ideas.

1.When you’re planting

Working compost into the soil is a great way to give your fledgling plants a head start as it aids moisture retention and adds essential nutrients to the roots of developing plants. Whether you’re planting vegetables, flowers, shrubs or trees, be sure to add a generous amount of compost to the hole. For vegetables and other plants, a shovel full of compost will suffice, for trees mix together a 50/50 ratio of soil and compost to put in the hole.

2.To make potting soil

Compost is a money saver when it comes to potting soil, as you can use it to make your own. Mix four parts of compost, to four parts of topsoil and add one part of sand. If you’re growing plants in pots or hanging baskets, then this is the perfect way to make them thrive as they’ll get added nutrients from the compost.

3.To make compost tea

For even more of a nutrient boost, compost can be used to to make compost tea. This is a natural organic fertiliser that doesn’t have the chemicals and high salt content of commercial fertilisers that can destroy soil structure. To make simply fill one third of a bucket with compost (use the material from the bottom of the pile as this is the most nutrient rich), then fill almost to the top with water (use rainwater if possible). Let the mixture steep for five to seven days, stirring a few times each day. Then strain through a sieve or piece of sacking and keep in an airtight container.

Every two weeks apply the tea solution to soak the roots and leaves of your plants with a watering can or garden sprayer. The tea will be absorbed through the foliage and root zone – the best time of the day to apply it is in the morning before it’s too hot.

4.To use as a mulch

Compost is the best material for adding mulch around your plants to enrich the soil, and keep moisture in and weeds out. When it rains the compost mulch is doubly effective as the nutrients will leach into the soil, so it’s a win-win situation. When spreading compost mulch, a circle approximately five cm high and 15 cm wide around each plant is the most effective application.