Are soil and compost the same or are they different from each other? What are their differences and types? In this article, you’ll be enlightened on that.
Because compost and soil are so alike, it can be difficult to tell them apart. Applying a layer of compost or topsoil to your garden soil mix will assist depleted soils to gain nutrients and promote better soil health. Adding either medium to your soil has a plethora of advantages.
What Is Compost?
Compost is a medium-density mixture of decomposing nutrient-rich soil formed organically using oxygen, microorganisms, water, and organic components. Green matter, such as food and grass clippings, is combined with the brown matter, such as twigs and dry leaves, to create compost.
In the composting process, this mixture begins to degrade. The ingredients decompose forming a rich soil that is mostly used to replenish depleted soils in the spring before planting a new crop.
Types Of Compost
The following are the various types of compost.
- Composted Wood Waste: This natural simple compost is prepared from composted wood chippings and tree cuttings.
- Composted Green Waste: This is frequently produced in a compost bin, is formed from garden waste and kitchen waste.
- Composted Manure: This is raw manure that has been composted and usually contains straw particles.
- Loam Compost: This is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay that has been treated to remove any potentially harmful chemicals or organisms. The proportion of sand and silt in loam is usually higher than that of clay.
Read also: How To Mix Compost Into Clay Soil
Benefits Of Compost
The following are some of the benefits of compost.
- For the whole soil, it acts as a nutrient enhancer.
- Retains your soil’s organic health at a high level.
- Aids in the normal development of helpful microorganisms.
- Provides necessary nutritional components to the soil.
- Aids in the retention of moisture in the soil.
- Promotes optimal plant growth.
What Is Soil?
Soil is the earth’s top layer. Soils are made up of varied proportions of sand, silt, clay, and limited portions of organic materials found in and on the earth, as well as years of service by previous generations… Indoors is the most natural environment for growing plants. According to an EPA document, there are more than 70,000 different varieties of soil.
Soil is formed when a variety of factors interact over up to 1,000 years. Plant roots and lichens wear down rocks, creating new soil, and roots and oxygen help to loosen and aerate it, as do air, water, decaying plant life, rock, animal life, and chemicals.
Read also: How Much Compost To Add To Clay Soil?
Types Of Soil
The following are the various types of soil.
- Clay soil: This is made up of small particles that may hold a lot of water but don’t drain well. Waterings should be spaced out if you have clay-heavy topsoil since your soil will require time to drain.
On the bright side, soil that keeps the water well also holds nutrients for longer durations, which means you won’t have to amend as frequently to maintain high nutrient levels.
- Loam soil: This is made up of a combination of sand, clay, silt, and organic elements, and it’s the best sort of soil for nutritional levels. Because it is high in nutrients and organic matter, loam soil is ideal for adding topsoil to your lawn or garden.
- Sandy soil: When it comes to water and nutrient retention, sandy soil is the polar opposite of clay soil. You’ll need to water and fertilize your soil more frequently if it’s sandy.
Read also: The Ideal Compost To Soil Ratio For Vegetable Garden
Benefits Of Soil
The following are some of the benefits of soil.
Once you add an element of topsoil, all of the nutrients in this new layer are received by the root system, where they will be most beneficial.
Because your garden’s plants rely on the nutrients in your soil to thrive, you’ll need to replenish them using fertilizer. When you add a layer of rich soil to the topsoil, on the other hand, you don’t need to use fertilizer or can cut back because you’re already replacing it.
As the soil decomposes, it encourages the thatch in your grass or garden to decompose as well.
If your lawn is uneven, applying topsoil is a great solution because it allows you to even up the surface level of your grass while also enhancing the soil.
When making a new flower bed or raised bed, topsoil is ideal. It’s also great for topdressing portions of your lawn that aren’t doing so well. It can be used as a foundation for upgrading existing lawns or establishing new ones.
Read also: Can you compost weeds?
Conclusion
I hope you find this article helpful. I would like to hear from you. So, let me know if you have any questions.
