10 Benefits of Composting

Besides a free and nutrient rich fertilizer for your soil and plants there are many other benefits to starting a compost in your yard - some of which you may never have thought of.  A few of the benefits of composting are listed below.

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1. You can reduce or eliminate weeds in your garden by using compost as it prevents weed seeds from sprouting and prospering.  This is a natural alternative to toxic herbicides and weed killers, which can be very dangerous to both you and your pets.
2. Mature compost material has been used to stop or prevent erosion in certain areas. The binding capability in the compost can keep the soil in place and prevent loss of valuable topsoil.
3. Reducing the amount of organic material that goes to a dump unnecessarily – in turn this reduces the amount of methane gas a dump creates during decomposition.
4. In wetlands areas that are in trouble, compost has been used to revitalize the soil and surrounding plant life.
5. Healthier plants. Keeping your plants well fed with compost material keeps them strong and healthy, and can prevent your plants from contracting diseases that kill or spread to the rest of the crop or garden.
6. Can create a stable and healthier pH balance in your soil.
7. If your soil is overly dry (sandy), adding compost to the soil and thoroughly mixing can help the sandy dirt retain more water, keeping it moist for your plants.
8. If your soil is hard and clay-like, you can make the dirt easier to work with and less dense by adding mature compost.
9. Provides important nutrients and micronutrients to the soil and plants.
10. Increases the temperature of the soil creating a conducive environment for plant growth and health.

These are just a few of the important benefits that can be derived from using compost.  It helps the environment, your garden, your plants and the planet - and it's so easy! The small amount of time that it takes to set-up and maintain a compost bin or pile is well worth the time and effort.

A Few Composting Resources: