One of the best ways to build a healthy garden is by giving your plants plenty of nutrients. This often means using compost. However, many people can get confused about the different types of compost and when they should be used. Let’s take a closer look at these options, making it easy for you to find which one will suit your garden the best.
Farmyard Manure
If you are living with animals, you might want to consider the farmyard manure technique. To do this, you’ll need to gather the waste from cattle and sheep sheds. Then, you’ll need to store it in a pit. Over time, it will be broken down by bacteria. Then, you’ll be able to spread it around the garden.
While this can be a great way of dealing with waste, there are a few potential drawbacks. One of the most obvious concerns is the smell. While it delivers great benefits, it might not be something you want to use in the household garden. Another potential problem is the bulky nature of the manure. It will often require a substantial pit for the bacteria to break it down. Finally, you’ll need a steady supply of manure. In short, if you’re not on a farm, this might not be a good option.
Compost Heap
A more common option is using a compost heap. In this case, you will need to dig a hole in the ground. Then, place the waste into the hole. The waste you’re using can be anything from household scraps to gardening waste like leaves. Spread the compost evenly and cover the hole. You’ll need to keep these areas moist, watering it every few days. The bacteria and insects will eat this, breaking it down. After a few months, it should be ready to use.
This can be a great option to explore, requiring minimal effort. It will also be a great way of recycling household waste. This type of compost can be used for most plants, delivering plenty of nutrients to help them grow. The only potential downside is that it can take a lot of space to dig a compost hole. So, if you have a smaller garden, it might not be possible.
Vermicomposting (Worm Farms)
A third option to explore is vermicomposting. While this sounds like a highly technical term, it simply means keeping a worm farm. Put your food products in the container and allow the worms to eat it. As they break down the food, they will produce worm juice. This is the ideal concentrated nutrient mix to add to your garden. This can be used on any plant, helping them grow healthy and strong.
There are a few reasons why this might be the perfect type of composting solution for you. First, it’s the ideal way to deal with kitchen waste. It’s estimated that the average American wastes around 103 pounds of food each year. Sadly, most of this is sent to the landfill. If you have a worm farm, you’ll be able to play your part for the environment, while producing some great fertilizer for your garden. Another benefit is that this model is very compact, suitable for any home. There also aren’t any unpleasant odors to consider.
When To Compost Your Garden?
Hopefully, you now have a better idea of some of the best ways to gather compost for your garden. But, when should you be composting your garden? In general, it’s best to compost at the start of each season. This will be one of the best ways to prepare the ground for planting. If there are already lots of nutrients in the soils, the plants will find it easier to develop a strong root system. It’s usually best to apply another layer of compost before the start of the winter season. This will ensure that that the plants will be able to survive the colder months.
If you have a worm farm, you’ll be generating worm juice every few days. In this case, you might want to spread it out over the garden, using a schedule. For example, you might want to water the flowers with it for one week. The next week, you might want to add worm juice to the vegetables. If you can do this, every part of your garden will flourish with the increased nutrients.
Conclusion
Composting is one of the best ways to develop healthy plants. You’ll be able to make sure that they’re getting the nutrients that they require. Hopefully, you have a better idea about the composting options available, so you can find the right one for you. If you want more information about this area, you can use this buying guide for worm farms: https://www.backyardstyle.com/best-worm-composter/. So, use this information to start composting and enjoy creating a healthier garden.
