How best to incorporate compost into your soil:
When incorporating compost into your soil, there are many different ways to do it. However, make sure to use mature, well-rotted compost which has decomposed sufficiently otherwise the compost continues to decompose, using up nitrogen and this can lead to stunted growth in other plants.
- Mixing into the soil: to add compost to the soil, just spread a layer of compost over the soil, and mix into the top couple of inches of soil to ensure an even distribution of nutrients.
- Mulching: compost can be used as mulch around plants and garden beds on the top of the soil surface to gradually release nutrients, help soil temperature regulation, and suppress weeds. It is important to leave a gap around the stems of plants to avoid rot, and ideally, a mulch layer is a few inches thick.
- Potting mix: compost can be incorporated into the growth of potted plants as well as in garden plants. You can create potting mix from scratch with compost to create a great potting mix.
- Top dressing: if your plants need a quick nutrient boost, you can create a top layer for already established garden plants. As it rains, the nutrients will soak into the soil below, making for healthier and stronger plants.
