By now, most gardeners are aware of the many benefits of compost. But can too much of it be a bad thing? Let’s dive into more details about compost and how to use it effectively in your garden.
Does too much compost hurt plants? Adding compost that isn’t done breaking down can force your garden’s soil to use more nitrogen in the process, which will harm your plants. You should also not confuse fresh manure with compost as this can also be harmful.
Can compost harm plants?
Even though compost is amazing for your garden, it can be harmful if not used properly. There are three main ways that compost can harm your plants.
Using too much compost
Within compost are a myriad of nutrients but the main ones will be nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. While most plants prefer an even ratio of these nutrients, some use more than others.
The problem with using too much compost is that some nutrients, such as nitrogen, are absorbed faster than other nutrients, such as phosphorus. If there is then too much phosphorus left in the soil, it can damage your plants.
Phosphorus takes longer for your plants to absorb, meaning it can build up in your garden. Unfortunately, the knock-on effect means your plants won’t be able to absorb other important nutrients.
Using compost that isn’t broken down
In ideal settings, you can turn your yard waste into compost in a matter of weeks. However, most people forget to regularly turn their compost or keep it warm enough, which delays all the organic matter from properly breaking down.
If you leave compost long enough, the process will work on its own. But this might seem too long, so you may end up adding compost to your garden before it’s ready.
In order for the compost to continue to break down, it will absorb nitrogen from the rest of your garden. As a result, your plants won’t get enough nutrients and won’t grow as fast or as large.
You may see symptoms of this issue if your plant leaves start to turn yellow or brown. This is a sign there is a nitrogen deficiency in the soil.
Using compost that is actually manure
Compost and manure are separate entities, even though they have similar benefits. Compost is made from brown and green organic items while manure is made from animal feces.
If you use manure that is not aged, meaning it hasn’t had time to break down, it can still have pathogens that are dangerous to humans. You definitely should not use fresh manure in a vegetable garden.
If you have manure that isn’t aged, you should add it to your compost pile. Then, allow the decomposition process to take over and wait until is fully mixed with the rest of your compost before adding it to your garden.
Can you give a plant too much compost?
If your compost is fully broken down and ready for your garden, it is wise to keep the ratio to about four parts existing soil and one part compost. This way, you can slowly introduce new nutrients and organic matter to your garden without overwhelming the area.
In order to know if your compost is ready for your garden, there should be no obvious chunks of vegetable scraps or plant pieces. It should look like dirt and shouldn’t be warm as the aerobic process will be finished.
How does too much compost affect plants?
Too much compost can disrupt the balance of nutrients in your soil, which can lead to uneven growth in your plants. In the worst-case scenarios, it can also lead to your plants dying.
While plants need a mixture of nutrients, they thrive on nitrogen. Too much compost, especially if it is not done breaking down, can actually deplete the amount of nitrogen in your current soil.
If you are worried about the nutrient levels in your garden, there are many simple soil tests you can purchase. They will tell you what is in your soil so you have a baseline to work with.
You can also try soil tests directly on your compost. This way, you will know how your compost is doing before you add it you your garden.
How to know if you are adding too much compost to your plant
Plants are really good about telling you when they are unhappy. There are many signs you can look for that mean something is wrong.
Look at the edges of your plant leaves. If they are yellow, brown, or look dried out, it means your plant is not getting enough nutrients. Nitrogen is the nutrient responsible for lush, green foliage, so if there is not enough nitrogen in your soil, your leaves will be the first sign of trouble.
You may also notice that your plants either slow down in their growth or stop growing altogether. Plants will freeze their growth process if they aren’t getting the right ratio of nutrients.
Finally, if your plants produce fruit, you will see either delayed growth, a smaller yield, or even a lack of fruit altogether. Again, if there aren’t enough nutrients, plants won’t be able to grow as they want to.
How much compost should I put on my plants?
In general, you should try to stick to the ratio of four parts of soil to one part of compost. While this can be easy to measure if you are adding soil and compost to a new container, it can be harder to keep track of in an existing garden.
Many gardeners will add compost to their gardens at least once a year, usually in the spring. You can shovel your compost into your garden to mix it up.
Another option is to add compost to the top of your garden. Then, add a layer of bark mulch so that all the layers slowly mix together as they break down.
Conclusion
While compost should be used in your garden it is possible to use too much of it. Be sure to use compost that is fully broken down and don’t add too much or else it can disrupt the nutrients already in your soil.
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