Best compost: which compost is best for which job? (2024)

FAQs

Which type of compost is the best? ›

Blue Ribbon Compost is great for vegetable gardening as it regenerates soil by improving aeration, increasing water retention, buffering pH, adding organic matter, and key nutrients including: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Multi-purpose or all-purpose peat free compost

As the name suggests, this compost has many uses. A good quality peat free compost such as Miracle-Gro Premium Peat Free, can be used for pots and containers, planting in beds and borders, sowing larger seeds and taking cuttings as well as for growing fruit and vegetables.

Both compost and manure have their benefits however, for the average homeowner growing in your garden, compost is a much better solution to support a healthy garden. If you would like to find out more about how our experts could help you then get in contact with us on 01483 299 797 or fill out a contact form here.

The ideal ratio of Carbon to Nitrogen (C:N) is 30:1 (30-parts carbon material to 1-part nitrogen material). Good compost is produced by blending compostable materials like leafy 'green' matter with harder 'brown' matter. 'Green' matter includes grass clippings, kitchen scraps, and soft green prunings.

Bulrush professional peat based compost is used by nurseries and professional growers to give excellent plant growth, flowering and fruiting. This is a premium grade, professional multi-purpose, peat based compost which is ideal for use in hanging baskets, pots and containers too.

Which Compost Is The Best For Vegetables? There is no definitive answer to this question as the best compost for vegetables will vary depending on your individual gardening needs. However, some of the more popular types of compost include organic compost, peat-free compost, mushroom compost, and loam-based compost.

Compost is one of the best garden amendments available. You can plant in straight compost, but I suggest incorporating it into your sandy garden soil or mixing it with other additives if you want to use it for container plantings.

Along with tomatoes, as discussed above, pumpkins and squash are two other crops that can do well growing in pure compost. Squash plants are more sprawling than tall, growing close to the ground along vines, and they need well-draining soil.

It will decompose over time and release nutrients into the soil. Compared to compost, topsoil is much better at holding onto its structure and moisture. To add bulk to raised beds, flowerbeds, or garden beds, topsoil may be utilized (but compost is preferable if you're just making a small area or raised bed).

Disadvantages of Manure

The manures are reported to provide fewer nutrients to plants, and they are unable to provide high-yielding crops. Manures are slowly absorbed by the plants, and they add a lot of humus to the soil. They are made in fields, so transportation is difficult for manures.

Should I add manure or compost to my garden? ›

Growers should either 1) use properly composted or otherwise sterilized manure (from a commercial source or your yard) for application during the current growing season, 2) apply non-composted manure in the fall before crops are planted the next spring, or 3) apply non-composted manure as soon as possible in the spring ...

Try to get between 25 and 50 percent soft green organic matter — vegetable kitchen waste, grass clippings, weeds. The rest of your compost heap should be comprised of brown waste, woody material like paper, cardboard, dead leaves, and pruned yard waste. Try not to let one material dominate the heap.

Composting Don'ts

Don't add fish, meat, dairy products, bones, baked goods, fatty foods or grease to your compost pile. These food scraps do not easily decompose and may attract animals. Don't use diseased plants or plants that are toxic to other plants.

Aim for a 50:50 Mix of Greens and Browns

Think grass clippings, spent crops, old bedding plants, annual weeds (seed-free so you don't inadvertently spread them about in the final compost), and kitchen waste such as vegetable peelings and fruit peels.

Trench and pit composting are pest-resistant versions of the heap that put the finished compost right where you'll grow. Dig a trench or a hole a few feet deep. Fill it with organic waste and cover it with at least six inches of soil. The bacteria and worms will start breaking down your waste in no time!

Mushroom compost has already been used as a growing medium which means it generally contains less nitrogen than regular compost. It may be a good choice for soil already rich in nitrogen since excess nitrogen can lead to overgrowth of foliage and stunted roots.

Home composting cannot process as many types of organic matter as commercial composting can. Some materials, like compostable foodservice products, will not decompose fully in an at-home composting pile. Compost made in a commercial composting site can be resold into the community and used to fertilize soil.