if you do not engage in the restoration of its composition. For these purposes, perfectly prepared composted hand-made. Fertile composition is prepared from waste, grass, humus, which does not require investment. The only drawback is the long maturation process of fertilizer. On beds are laid out completely rotten composition. How to determine the readiness of compost
How to find out that the compost has finally decomposed and is ready to use? This is a fairly popular question among novice gardeners.
Compost is ready for use, when its color turns dark brown, it acquires a loose structure and an earthy smell. The finished compost should not be moldy or rotting. The original components should not differ in the finished compost, except for some wood ingredients. The temperature of the finished product must match the ambient temperature. The presence of insects in the compost, such as earthworms, is a clear sign that the temperature inside has significantly decreased. If your compost is still hot, it smells of ammonia and the raw components are guessed in the total mass, which means that it is not ready yet. When compost, in your opinion, can already be used, give it another 3 weeks for aging - for complete confidence that the decomposition process has stabilized.
Resist the temptation to start composting before it is ready. When used on a site of not fully decomposed compost, microorganisms contained in it can compete with plants due to nitrogen in the soil - as a result, plant growth slows down and they begin to turn yellow. It was also found that compost, not yet usable, slows seed germination and seedling growth.
Useful properties of compost
No matter how long your compost pile decomposes - quickly at high temperature or slowly at low - after the process is completed, the mixture of components is transformed into a completely new product. The volume of the finished compost is significantly less than the initial heap - by about 30-50%.This occurs as a result of biochemical decomposition and evaporation of water. The finished compost has a lot of useful properties and is able to significantly enrich the soil in your garden.
Compost improves the quality of almost any kind of soil. It improves the composition and consistency of the soil, helps to retain nutrients, water and air - all that is so necessary for the normal development of plants.
Compost additives have a beneficial effect on soil composition - the ratio of inorganic components( sand, silt, clay) and organic rotting products( compost, humus).In addition, they give the soil a friable consistency, which passes water well, and at the same time keeps the necessary amount of it in the soil. Soil with compost additives consists of irregularly rounded components. These components are a collection of particles that are weakly interconnected due to the waste products of earthworms and compost microorganisms - this is what gives the soil a loose texture. If you try to crumble one of these components, it will break up into smaller particles. Loose soil does not interfere with free access of air, retains moisture well, but at the same time allows excess water to flow down. In addition, tender young roots easier to penetrate loose soil.
Read also: Organic fertilizers( peat)
In a well-structured soil, it is easy to grow any plants - it always remains loose, as it consists of many small components. Compost improves all types of soil, but it is especially useful for sandy and clayey soils.
Loose sandy soil is almost impossible to form with your hands, as it consists of large particles. It badly holds water and nutrients - nothing prevents them from passing. When compost is added, the constituent components of the soil are connected to each other - this significantly reduces the loss of moisture and nutrients, and also facilitates access to water for the roots.
Clayey soil is dense and heavy, as its components are firmly interconnected. Wet, sticky clay is easily molded by hand. Compost helps bind the clay components to form larger particles. At the same time, the intervals between them increase, which helps the penetration of surface water into the deep layers of the soil, and also ensures the free passage of air.
Compost additives significantly enrich the soil with useful nutrients that are necessary for normal plant development: in addition to the three main components - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the composition of the compost includes many trace elements such as copper, manganese, iron and zinc. The role of trace elements is very large - in small doses, they are necessary for plants, as well as people need vitamins. In addition, they significantly increase the ability of plants to extract the necessary nutrients from the soil. Often ready-made fertilizers contain too few trace elements, so compost, in fact, compensates for this disadvantage.
Some components of the compost decompose quickly, and others slowly, so the process of releasing beneficial nutrients takes a long period of time. For this reason, compost is sometimes called delayed-release fertilizer. The composition of the compost is not constant - it depends on many variable factors. However, one thing is for sure - the more ingredients used to make compost, the more valuable the final product will be.
It has been proven that the nitrogen content of the compost changes over time. In the 1st year of use, the decomposition of this organic product releases 25% of nitrogen, in the 2nd and 3rd year - 10%, and in the 4th and 5th year, this figure drops to 5%.
Compost attracts earthworms, centipedes, woodlice and other animals, as it serves as a source of healthy food for them. Organic material passes through their digestive tract and enriches the soil with beneficial substances. Thus, a balanced ecological soil is maintained.
Research confirms that compost helps fight not only pests, but also plant diseases. For example, leafy humus suppresses the development of nematodes, and peat humus protects plants from fungal diseases.
Read also: Common garden weeds
Compost additives have a positive effect on acidity. Nutrients in the soil are available for most plants at a pH in the range of 5.5–7.5.In pH-ready compost, as a rule, it has a neutral value; therefore, its additives are able to maintain soil acidity at the optimum level for plants.
Ways to use compost
Mulching
In nature, plants shed their leaves, which gradually accumulate layer by layer, while the old plant material below begins to decompose. Thus, natural leaf humus is formed, which creates a protective layer over the roots of plants. In the summer, it helps to reduce the temperature of the soil and reduce moisture loss, and also inhibits the growth of weeds. The same functions can be performed by compost prepared in the garden plot.
The soil must be prepared before mulching. To do this, first remove the weeds and grass along with the roots so that they do not germinate through the layer of mulch. Carefully check whether there are any perennial weeds in the ground like, for example, ivy budra. Before using the finished compost for mulching the soil in flower beds, in the garden, on landscaped flowerbeds or lawns, it must be sifted.
The sieve is easy to make from ½ inch mesh by attaching it to a wooden frame.
Install a sieve over a wheelbarrow or a large container and sift the compost. The large pieces remaining on the sieve can be used as an activator in the next compost heap, as they contain the necessary microorganisms. Cover the soil in the garden or beds with a layer of sifted compost 2.5–5 cm thick.
The compost that you lay on the lawn should be finely ground and well sifted - this way there will be more likelihood that the grass on the lawn will not “suffocate”.Compost can be applied in this way - first loosen the turf with an aerator, and then cover the soil with a very thin layer( no more than 1 cm) of the crushed compost. Use a rake to evenly distribute the compost.
It is not necessary to sift compost when mulching trees and shrubs. It depends only on your desire.
Soil enrichment with nutrients
It has already been said that compost is extremely useful for different types of soil, especially clay and sand. Before planting plants on your plot for the first time, it is recommended to enrich it with useful nutrients. At this time, it is easier to add compost additives than after the plants have been planted. Cover the surface of the soil in the garden with a layer of compost 7.5–10 cm thick, and then plow the land to a depth of 15 cm. If your plot has already been developed and planted, it will be difficult to bring the compost into deeper soil layers.
As for perennials, compost needs to be added each time you plant new plant species or plant existing ones. For annuals, compost supplements are added every spring. Loosen the soil in the area where you are going to plant annuals, and then add the compost.
Read also: How to feed surfinia and pelargonium?
When planting trees and shrubs compost additives should not exceed 25% of the total soil. Some sources recommend not to make compost at all because of the fear that the roots of trees or shrubs will not grow beyond the limits of the planting pit. In fact, ¼ of the compost in the total soil mix will not cause such a problem. If you are worried about this, use compost only as mulch.
If the trees are already planted, it will be difficult to bring the compost deep into the soil. But you can use the method that is used by professional foresters to introduce nutrients into the soil. Throughout the area under the crown of the tree, make holes 2.5–5 cm in diameter and about 30 cm deep in the soil, keeping about 45 cm intervals between them. Pour the recommended amount of dry fertilizer to the bottom of each well and then fill the hole with compost to the top. For shrubs, the depth of the holes should be from 20 to 25 cm. In this way, you can enrich the soil with nutrients for 2–3 years.
Soil mixtures for container plants
Well crushed compost can be used as an additive to soil mixtures for growing container plants, and its amount should not exceed 1 / 2–1 / 4 of the total soil. The growth and development of container plants depends entirely on a sufficient amount of water and nutrients in the soil mixture. Compost perfectly copes with these tasks - it has the ability to retain moisture in the soil and is rich in a variety of nutrients, which in ready-made fertilizers and soils, as a rule, are not sufficiently or completely absent. To ensure that plants grown in containers with sufficient nutrients, the soil must be fertilized regularly. Crushed and sieved compost is also excellent for use in a soil mixture intended for sowing seeds.
Liquid fertilizer - compost tea
This is an ancient way of feeding plants. Such liquid fertilizer will provide your planting with a good dose of essential nutrients. Compost tea is especially useful for seedlings and seedlings. To make it, fill the bag with the finished compost( or the old pillowcase) and tie the open end tightly. Then place the bag in a container filled with water — an old bath, a barrel or a large watering can — and move it vigorously in the water. After that, for several days, let the solution infuse. Over time, the liquid will become the color of the tea, as water will flush out the nutrients from the compost. Spray the finished compost tea or pour the soil around the plants.
A bag with compost can be repeatedly used to make tea, after which its contents should be emptied anywhere in your garden.
