How to use Home Compost
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There are so many different options for how you can use your compost, all of which are beneficial to both your plants and the environment.
On the lawn:
- Put down a few inches of compost to establish a new lawn. Till the compost and soil to a depth of 5-8 inches before seeding.
- On already existing lawns, spread a thin layer (no more than ½ an inch) of compost to improve the nutrients in the soil, and reduce watering needs.
- If you have a bald spot, spread about an inch of compost on it, and then work into the soil. Reseed, and water thoroughly.
- By using compost on the lawn, you are creating your own natural fertilizer and are reducing the amount of chemical fertilizer you will need to use on it, bringing about an all-around healthier lawn.
As Potting Mix:
- Combine equal parts of soil, sand and fine compost. (You may want to screen the compost first to ensure you only get the small particles.)
- The potting mix can be used for planting new plants, for starting new plants from seeds or to top off existing containers.
- To top off existing containers, remove a few inches of soil before adding the new potting mix.
As Mulch:
Green Tip:
Set the blades on your lawn mower to the highest possible height - Longer grass grows deeper roots, and helps shade the soil enough to prevent water evaporation.
- While compost is not exactly the same as mulch, it can be applied to a garden in the same way – spread your compost a few inches thick around and between all plants, keeping the compost a few inches away from stems. When using compost as mulch, you will need to replenish is every year.
- This enriches the nutrients in the soil, prevents erosion and conserves water.
- Don't mix the compost with the soil when you apply it.
- The best type of compost to use as a mulch is coarse compost, made of woody materials.
Soil Amendment:
- Adding compost to your soil helps to add more plant nutrients and organic matter into it.
- This is especially effective when adding compost to soil that is poor in quality.
- This should be done yearly, before planting anything. Don't add more than 6inches of compost to your soil per year.
For Vegetables
- Add the compost in the fall to the top of the soil, waiting until the spring to till it.
- You can also add mulch around the vegetables and herbs.
Compost Tea
- An easy way to add nutrients to any plants in the cases where you don't have the space to add new soil.
- Fill a cloth or burlap bag with compost. Place the bag in a bucket of water for a few days, stirring occasionally. Remove the bag, and use the compost tea to water your plants.
- Keep in mind that compost tea does not keep for a long time – if you don’t use it up almost immediately, it can become anaerobic.
Never use unfinished compost
You will know that your compost is done when it is dark brown in colour, looks like crumbly soil, and has a rich, earthy smell to it. You don’t ever want to use compost that isn’t completely finished, as it will just take nutrients from the soil instead of adding nutrients to it. This can harm your plants. Before using your compost, you may want to spread it out on a tarp to dry the compost out. Alternatively, you can screen your compost by passing it through a small-gauge fencing material to remove any large pieces from the compost. Any pieces that aren’t finished can be re-added to your composter.
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