May 29 is National Compost Day in the US, a great time for gardeners to reflect on compost usage in their gardens. Both homemade and store-bought composts are beneficial, yet they fulfill different needs.
Whether you create your own compost or choose store-bought organic compost, both enrich your soil and promote healthy plant growth. However, they have distinct differences. Homemade compost is a sustainable choice that utilizes food scraps and yard waste, making it ideal for fertilizing plants. In contrast, store-bought options can offer a quick and healthy base for your garden.
Lauren Click, founder of Let's Go Compost, advises caution with store-bought compost due to quality inconsistencies. Here's her take on the pros and cons of both types of compost, along with tips for choosing the right one.
Advantages of Homemade Compost
Creating your own compost comes with numerous benefits. It not only repurposes waste but also gives you control over its contents.
"Homemade compost is one of the most eco-friendly practices a household can adopt since it keeps organic waste local and recycles it right at home," shares Lauren.
Instead of sending organic waste to landfills, where it generates methane, those nutrients return to enrich soil health.
While there are many items not suitable for composting, such as meat and produce stickers, you can include vegetable scraps, grass clippings, and untreated cardboard to create nutrient-dense compost.
One major perk of homemade compost is the control over its ingredients, including kitchen scraps, leaves, and other organic materials, which is vital for those focused on soil quality and sustainable gardening.
To ensure your composting is effective, watch out for common mistakes like failing to aerate or maintaining insufficient temperatures for decomposition.
Using tools like a compost aerator (available on Amazon) or a compost thermometer (from Walmart) can assist you.
Starting a compost heap can be done in various ways. You could opt for a traditional compost bin, build a pallet composter, or even try lazy composting by layering organic materials.
"Worm composting systems are perfect for small spaces, as they can process food scraps indoors with minimal space requirements," Lauren adds.
You can also buy electric countertop compost bins for convenience.
"Composting can take many forms to be effective!" Lauren emphasizes.
Benefits of Store-Bought Compost
Store-bought compost has its own set of advantages. Lauren points out that it's perfect for large projects and provides a reliable foundation for your garden.
"It's especially useful if you lack the time or space to compost at home," she notes.
Good quality commercial compost is often screened for consistency, enhancing soil structure, water retention, and overall soil health.
When selecting store-bought compost, opt for products that meet your specific gardening needs. For instance, consider Miracle-Gro garden soil for borders or a potting mix for container gardens designed for optimal drainage.
However, Lauren cautions that relying solely on store-bought compost requires careful selection:
What to Consider
"Quality can greatly differ. Some products may be unfinished, overly woody, or contaminated," she warns.
"I always suggest sourcing compost from trustworthy brands that are transparent about their composting methods and ingredients.
"Finished compost, whether homemade or commercial, should have an earthy scent and resemble dark soil," she explains.
If compost has an unpleasant odor, is compacted, or excessively wet, it's likely not suitable for healthy plant growth. It should be crumbly and moisture-retentive without being overly saturated.
"It's crucial to remember that compost is more about building healthy soil systems than merely feeding plants," Lauren emphasizes.
"Healthy soils retain more moisture, support microbial life, reduce erosion, enhance drought resilience, and decrease reliance on synthetic fertilizers," she adds.
Recommended Tools
Compost Aerator
This tool helps aerate your compost heap, promoting decomposition and preventing unpleasant odors.
Tumbling Composter
This model makes it easy to turn over your compost and has a 37-gallon capacity.
Compost Accelerator
This accelerator can jumpstart decomposition, enhancing the biological activity in your compost.
If you're new to composting, consider methods to speed up the process. Achieving the right green-brown ratio, creating a larger pile, and adding worms can all facilitate quicker decomposition.
