Does Compost Go On Top Of Soil?

Compost provides many benefits for your plants and garden , let in increasing the health of your soil and allow nutrients to plants . you’re able to make your own compost at base or buy ready - made compost at most lawn and garden centers . But should you just add compost on top of survive land ? We ’ve done the inquiry to answer this question .

One of the most common ways to use compost is to spread or sprinkle it directly on top of the soil . This is done so as to meliorate soil health or prevent pot development . But you could add compost to the soil in other manner as well , including :

The best method to practice just depends on how you require to use the compost . In this article , we ’ll discourse these method in more particular . We ’ll also hash out when you should apply each one and how to use compost efficaciously so that you could glean all of its benefits . Please continue interpret to take more .

What Does Healthy Compost Look Like?

Before we discuss how to apply compost , it ’s important to first explicate what finished compost looks like , specially if you make your own at home . ruined compost should have no tincture of original cloth in it . rather , it will be dark and crumbly and look very standardized to the surface soil in your garden . It should also smell like earth and not have a sour olfactory sensation to it .

This information is significant because if your compost is n’t fully mature and level-headed , it can negatively touch on your stain and plants . For example , vestige of food scraps can appeal plague that can damage your plants .

It ’s also significant that you only use instinctive and constitutional materials in your compost . stuff that contain harmful chemicals can affect the fragile balance of your territory and the being that know there . Do n’t endeavor to compost thing like charge card either , because you ’ll rule that they do n’t decompose very well .

What Comes First, Topsoil or Compost?

Once you ’re sure that your compost is end , you may now use it . But how do you use it right ? Should you add surface soil first and then compost , or can you just add up compost directly on top of the soil ?

The general rule is that you may add together compost directly on top of the existing stain . Since finished compost should look almost indistinguishable from topsoil , you may not even be able-bodied to say the difference once you ’ve added it .

But once you ’ve put on compost on top of the soil , what you do with it at that point just depends on how you want to expend it . For example , sometimes , you will just want to add up the compost and get out it alone . Other times you will require to desegregate it into the soil for dear results . Here are the different ways for how you could expend compost .

How to Add Compost to Your Soil

There are four primary way to impart compost to your soil . In addition to simply spread out it on top of the grease , you may also meld it into the soil , blend it with pot soil , or rake it underneath trees and shrubs . Ultimately , the correct method just depends on what you ’re trying to do . Let ’s hear when and how to do each one .

Spread It On Top of Soil

The easiest way to use compost is to spread or sprinkle it on top of your stain . You will need to do this when either amend your existing grime or prevent weed growth around flower and vegetables .

For various reasons , your dirt may not always be as healthy as it should be . The nutrients see in compost can help to remedy the situation . If your surface soil is pack together , you will want to use a rake or cultivator to first loose it up .

But if it is already loose , sprinkle a 1 - inch bed on top of the soil and then habituate your hand to work it into the top 3 in of soil . Over time the compost will increase ground health by adding the missing nutrients .

Compost can also be used to prevent sens in the same way that you would utilise mulch . To use it , circulate a 1 - 2 in layer of compost around flower beds in early saltation . The compost will help oneself to keep weeds from establish . you could also tot a 1 - column inch layer of compost in fall to cook plant during winter . The compost will both forestall moisture loss and protect plants from freezing .

Mix It into Existing Soil

When prove Modern plants or a new lawn for the first fourth dimension , you will want to mix in the compost into the soil . This will encourage healthy plant growing . If rise veg , compost will also help to increase payoff .

For subsist veggie beds , supply several inch of compost on top of the grime during declivity . Then till the compost into the soil when you start your new garden in spring . When you add your vegetables , add a little bit of compost into the jam as well .

Whether you ’re judge to establish Mary Jane in bald areas or install a completely unexampled lawn , compost can aid with that also . For best results , contribute about 3 column inch of compost on top of the survive dirt . Then , till about 5 inches of soil and add your grass seed .

Blend It With Potting Soil

Compost can be used with potted plants also , regardless of whether the plants are outdoors or indoors . Even high - calibre potting land can lose nutrients over meter , but compost can aid refill those nutrients .

There are two ways you’re able to add compost to potted plants and windowpane boxes . First , you could add compost instantly to the potting soil before use , then blend it together . Second , you’re able to avail maintain nutrients by add 1 inch of compost to your pot plants two prison term a year .

Rake It Under Trees and Shrubs

The last method for using compost is to rake it underneath your tree and shrub , similar to using mulch . Doing so can help the soil around the tree continue moisture , keep the dirt cool , and prevent locoweed growth .

To do this , add a ½ to 1 - inch layer of compost around the tree ’s trunk , then rake it outward to the edge of the tree canopy . Just be sure not to place compost so that it is directly in contact with the trunk . This can cause wood rot or harbor disease and plague , which can kill your tree .

Can You Put Compost On Top of Mulch?

In most cases , it is best to add compost directly on top of the soil in ordination for the compost to crop the best . Then , you should lend mulch on top of the compost . This is particularly true when adding mulch for the first time .

However , if you already have mulch in your garden , you could tote up compost on top if the mulch is ½ inch thick or less . You could then sum up a 1 - inch layer of compost , then add a new layer of mulch on top of the compost .

How Much Compost Should You Add to the Soil?

accord to McGill Environmental Systems , the generalrule of thumbis to add about ½ inch of compost to the top of the grease unless you ’re amending the soil . If you ’re amending the soil , you should add up a 1- to 2 - in level in club to have the best outcome .

Can Too Much Compost Hurt Plants?

When using compost , it is important that you do n’t tote up more than 1 to 2 column inch . Using too much compost can actually smother plants . This is specially dead on target if you make your own compost and the compost has n’t fully matured yet . Remember that compost that is n’t full matured can bring undesirable pests to your garden and inadvertently induce scathe to plants that way .

See more : Can Compost Kill plant life ?

Can You Plant Directly Into Compost?

Although compost provide many benefits for territory and plant life health , planting straightaway into compost is not a good thought . The reason is that compost does not have the same drainage tier as regular surface soil , so compost may not regularize moisture in the same way , which could result in theme rot .

In Closing

Compost provides many benefit for plants and grime , but the paint is using it correctly . you may bring it directly on top of the soil . But in some typesetter’s case , it is well to flux it into the dirt , especially when establish unexampled plants . Thanks for reading !