{"id":2463,"date":"2021-04-23T05:34:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-23T05:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecofamilylife.com\/?p=2463"},"modified":"2022-03-19T18:17:49","modified_gmt":"2022-03-19T18:17:49","slug":"how-to-use-compost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecofamilylife.com\/garden\/how-to-use-compost\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use compost | + Benefits of Digging it in"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Use compost in your garden by digging it into soil to increase organic matter, microbes and water holding capacity of soil. Compost can be used by sprinkling it around the root zone of vegetables, fruit trees, annual flowers and shrubs to act as a slow release fertilizer. Use compost as a mulch on top of soil to retain water.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefit of digging compost into soil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The benefit of digging compost into the soil is that it will increase organic matter, microbes and water holding capacity of the soil<\/a>. If you are re-planting your vegetable garden or planting<\/a> a new spot in your garden bed, digging in compost is a great idea. Soil microbes will break down the compost making the nutrients available for your plants<\/a> to absorb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You can mix compost into the soil that you backfill new plants<\/a> with<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dig compost into your soil each time you re-plant your vegetable garden<\/a>. The two main planting seasons are spring and fall, so remove old crops and dig in some compost<\/a> at least twice per year. If you can leave your compost in your soil for 2-4 weeks before planting<\/a> it will be incorporated into your soil by microbes and be ready for your new seeds or seedlings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to put compost on top of soil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Put compost<\/a> on top of soil to top dress your plants to give them extra nutrients. Top dress fruit trees each year with compost around<\/a> the root zone to feed them. Citrus trees<\/a> like limes, lemons and oranges will love a 2-3 inch layer of compost underneath their leaf canopy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My lemon tree<\/a> will be top dressed with compost each year in spring<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rake back any mulch you have under the tree and shovel the compost in underneath. Do not disturb the soil or dig the compost in as you could damage the small feeder roots that sit under the surface of the soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to bury unfinished compost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bury compost in an unused space in your garden<\/a> if it has not completely broken down. Burying the compost will finish the break down process. There are a few things to remember when doing this so that you don\u2019t damage your plants or draw nutrients from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Making compost using just leaves<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Dig a hole away from plant root zones \u2013<\/strong> Make sure you are outside of tree canopies or away from small shrub. Do not bury compost near plants because you can damage their roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dig a hole big enough to backfill with soil \u2013<\/strong> Make sure you dig your hole slightly deeper than the compost amount. You can then backfill with garden soil<\/a> and mulch. It is also a good idea to add a shovel full of aged cow manure or handful of pelletized chicken<\/a> manure at the same time. This will replace any nitrogen drawn from the soil as the microbes finish the compost break down process<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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