Using compost

The www.carryoncomposting web page on the uses of compost has been revised. It now includes  information on compost as a mulch, in the vegetable and flower  garden, round trees and additional suggestions for professional gardeners.

Mulch  Compost makes an excellent soil improver and will over the years, make the soil easier to work and lead to a better soil structure. 

 Vegetable Gardens.  The "dug in" variation of the surface mulch is  favoured by many vegetable gardeners when the mulch is spread and then dig it into the soil in the autumn before planting in the spring or early summer. Digging in will bring the nutrients and humus into the root zone of the plants.

 Flower Beds The compost can be applied as a mulch and left on the surface where digging in would damage roots or bulbs.

Trees Used as a mulch round established trees  compost can provide essential to a soil which otherwise may be neglected.

Square Foot Gardeners, Use compost as a soil amendment by adding a handful of compost each time anything is added to the bed and work it into the soil top layers. New seeds can be sown in the newly enriched soil.  

Compost Use by Professional Gardeners

Planting Trees and shrubs   Composting is the ideal material to use as backfill when planting trees and shrubs

Nursery Beds  Home compost can be mixed with soil to make a growing medium with good water retention properties and  organic content suitable for nursey beds.

Erosion control  Compost offers a good means of controlling  erosion when the soil  surface has been damaged during landscaping

Compost can also  be used to make a  Liquid Feed and as a component when making seed and potting composts.