Using Compost in the Garden and on the Farm
Quality compost can be used for all your planting needs. Compost is an excellent source of organic matter, which you can add to your garden plants and houseplants.
It helps improve soil structure, increases aeration in the soil, and helps hold moisture in the soil without waterlogging it. It's also a source of plant nutrients.
You can use compost as a mulch material. Studies have shown that compost used as a mulch, or mixed with the top one-inch layer of soil, can help prevent some plant diseases, including some of those that cause damping-off of seedlings.
Using Compost on the Farm
On the farm, potential agricultural waste becomes a resource that saves money and helps the environment. Growers use composted livestock manure to fertilize crops. Properly handled, manure can be safely applied to the land without the risk of polluting water. Part of this handling is composting.
Some poultry operations also compost their manure. The compost is then used as fertilizer on the farms or sold as a lawn and garden soil amendment.
Parts of this article are courtesy of the Natural Resource Conservation Service.
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