Increase In Plant Yields
A study performed by the Rodale Institute found that using compost increased organic matter in the top 10 inches of soil by 7-8%. If you’re growing crops for human consumption, this means that yields will go up and costs will go down. On the other hand, growing crops for livestock feed or fiber (like cotton), this increase is likely to bump up the value of what you can sell, as more people will need to buy the product.
Builds Soil Structure
Soil structure refers to how soil particles group together and holds onto each other. The ideal soil is high in aggregate stability. This means the aggregates are large enough, so they don’t break apart easily when they’re bumped or tilled by raindrops or soil tillage equipment, but not too big where there isn’t a lot of air space between them. Regularly using compost helps make this happen over time.
Attracts Earthworms To Your Soil
The presence of earthworms in your soil is a great sign. They are nature’s recyclers. Earthworms release castings containing nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus while retaining some moisture. If you’re familiar with gardening practices, then you may know that earthworms improve soil structure by creating channels for water to travel through; this is why their presence significantly increases the rate at which topsoil develops over time.
Increase In Microbial Diversity And Activity
Microorganisms make up an incredibly diverse group of organisms; they include single-celled organisms like bacteria and archaea to multi-cellular organisms like fungi and molds. They are the decomposers of the world, breaking down organic matter into smaller pieces that plants or other microbes can reabsorb.
Conclusion
While composting may seem like a daunting line item to add to your weekly chores, it’s quite easy to do. Most modern city or suburb dwellers can easily install a small compost bin in their backyard. And this is great for the environment- all of the decompositions that happen in our landfills produce large quantities of methane gas, which contributes significantly to global warming. It’s always better to reduce landfills than recycle.
