Compost and mulch are two of a gardener's best friends. It is beneficial for strong and healthy plants and will significantly increase the productivity of your garden. Their long lasting benefits save time and effort in all types of gardens. There are many forms of compost and mulch. Some are organic while others are artificial. What's the Difference between Compost and Mulch? Compost is any kind of decayed, organic plant or animal matter. In the home garden, we think of compost as organic plant matter. It's nutrient rich composition acts as a natural fertilizer for your plants. The act of "composting" is the process where organic plant and animal matter decays as a result of piling it up and allowing it to decay through the natural process of decomposition. This is accomplished over a period of time by means of natural bacteria and often aided by worms, heat ,and water. Compost is literally any organic matter. It can include weeds, grass clippings, hay, seaweed, garden waste, kitchen scraps, tree leaves, or branches to name a few. It can also be animal matter. Animal matter is discouraged, as it has several disadvantages, most notably attracting unwanted garden pests. Mulch on the other hand, is any material placed around plants as a protective covering for the purpose of:
Mulches can be organic such as compost, wood chips, grass clippings, or hay to name a few. Or, they could be inorganic such as black plastic newspaper, or even aluminium foil. The benefit of organic is that it also enriches the soil. In-organic mulches can be much more efficient in keeping out weeds. But they are of no benefit to the composition of your garden soil. How to Compost: There is not much you can do wrong long term to the compost pile. Pile up any organic matter and it will decompose over time. If you simply pile it on, it will decompose eventually. What most gardeners want however, is to speed up the composting process and avoid the pitfalls of bad odour and attracting unwanted pests. A well maintained and active compost pile will convert organic material to compost in as little as thirty days. Left to nature, it could take several months or even a year. The byproduct of active decomposition is heat. . A compost pile can actually become so hot that it ignites. This is a not so rare an occurrence, most commonly occurring in large town or industrial composting. The Basics to Good Composting:
Some Do's and Don'ts:
Speeding up the process:
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Compost and Mulch
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