If you’re trying to grow your own garden, whether it’s just flowers, vegetables, fruits, or a combination of the above, you need to have the right nutrients present in the soil.
If you don’t have the right nutrients present in the soil, your plants won’t be able to effectively turn their food into energy, respire, engage in photosynthesis, or anything else of the sort.
What we’re here to do today is to determine exactly what the best bag compost is, what elements should be present in compost, and everything else you need to know about using bagged compost.
The Benefits of Using Bagged Compost
Before we start talking about all of the different things that should be present in bagged compost, let’s first take a closer look at what all of the different benefits of using this type of compost are.
Improving Soil Structure
One thing that stands out about bagged compost is that it helps to loosen up soil after it’s been compacted, which helps to improve overall drainage and aeration.
This is important for soil that may have a lot of clay in it, which ends up obstructing the growth of roots. It’s also important for soil that has a lot of sand, because it helps to increase the bioavailability of nutrients and water to the plants.
On that note, if you add compost to the soil, it also improves its overall structure and makes it easier to work with.
Retaining Water
Another benefit of using bagged compost is that it helps with water retention and overall moisture management.
Because compost has such a high organic content, it holds on to a lot of water, and this results in your plants needing less frequent watering.
This is also beneficial for times of drought, because plants have more access to a steady supply of water.
Improved Nutrient Supply
Yet another benefit of using bagged compost is perhaps the biggest one of all, that it provides your plants with a slow-release supply of nutrients.
Unlike other forms of nutrients that you might provide your plants, compost releases slowly over time, therefore preventing issues such as nutrient burn from occurring, something that synthetic fertilizers can at times cause.
Furthermore, bad compost that you purchased generally fixtures a good balance of all of the essential nutrients that your plants need to grow.
Improving Soil Microbial Colonies
Something else worth noting about bagged compost is that it is full of beneficial organisms such as fungi and bacteria.
These play a critical role in helping the organic matter to decompose properly and quickly.
Having a lot of microbes present in the soil is also beneficial because it helps to prevent soil borne pathogens from infecting your plants.
And Much More!
The benefits of using bagged compost are almost too long to list, but among the others include the fact that it can help balance the pH levels of soil, it can reduce soil erosion, and it’s also beneficial in terms of the environment.
The simple fact is that most compost is made from natural ingredients and does not contain any synthetic chemicals, unlike many synthetic fertilizers which can negatively affect the environment.
What Are the Essential Elements of Bagged Compost?
There are various essential elements found in bagged compost that can help benefit your garden in one way or another, so let’s take a closer look at what these are.
Organic Materials
Perhaps the most important component of bagged compost is organic material, and this could include things such as sawdust, wood chips, decomposed plants, animal manure (cow manure, bat guano, and worm castings), leaf mold, and grass clippings.
This could also include scraps from the kitchen, such as eggshells, coffee grounds, and vegetable peelings. These types of organic matter work as soil conditioners, which can help make sandy soil more suitable for planting Blumen, vegetables, and other plants.
Nitrogen
Another essential element of any good bag of compost is nitrogen. The nitrogen found in bagged compost comes mainly from food scraps, green plant material, and manure.
Nitrogen is very important for your garden because it helps to develop healthy stems and leaves of plants, mainly thanks to its amino acid content.
Phosphorus
The next essential component of bagged compost is phosphorus, and this is usually found in all types of organic matter.
One of the most common sources of phosphorus is bone meal, along with manure and decomposing plants.
Phosphorus is vital for plant growth because it helps with energy transfer, roots development, and the growth of stems. It’s also a critical part of forming flowers, fruit, and seeds.
Potassium
Yet another crucial component of good bagged compost is potassium. Potassium can come from various sources, mainly wood ashes, manure, and vegetable scraps.
Potassium is essential for plant growth as it helps to control carbon dioxide uptake. It also helps to activate enzymes that produce ATP or adenosine triphosphate, which plants need in order to produce energy.
Calcium
Calcium is yet another crucial component of bagged compost, and the main source of it comes from lime, egg shells, and gypsum.
Calcium is an important component of the cell walls of plants, and it allows for structural integrity. Calcium is also vital for the division and growth of various cells within the plant. A plant can’t grow new roots or shoots without sufficient calcium.
Magnesium
Next on the list of essential components that should be present in compost is magnesium. Magnesium is most often found in dolomite lime, decomposed green leaves, and Epsom salts.
Magnesium is important because it forms chlorophyll, which is required for photosynthesis. Without photosynthesis, a plant can convert the food you feed it into energy that it needs to grow.
Sulfur
Sulfur is another important component of bagged compost, and it’s mostly found in manure and decomposed leaves. Sulfur is vital for plant growth because it helps to form amino acids, vitamins, and enzymes.
Essentially, sulfur is a building block of virtually all planned components. Without enough sulfur, your plants won’t yield as much, and the quality of your crops won’t be nearly as high.
Microorganisms
There are also some living things that bagged compost should contain, such as a variety of fungi, protozoa, beneficial bacteria, and more. These microorganisms are important for the decomposition process of organic matter.
Without these microorganisms, all of the organic matter present in compost couldn’t decompose and turn into what is essentially some of the most nutrient rich soil you’ve ever seen. Microorganisms are also important because they help to promote nutrient cycling and improve soil structure too.
Tips for Using Bagged Compost Effectively
Before we talk about the best bagged compost, we first want to take a quick look at some of the tips you need to know to use compost effectively.
- Of course, it all starts with choosing the right compost, and you definitely don’t want anything that smells like ammonia. Always go for something that is certified as being organic, if possible.
- Remember that compost should be placed in the soil at least a couple weeks before planting, although you can also side-dress plants throughout the growing system for a bit of a boost.
- A good rule of thumb when applying compost is to add around two or three inches to your garden. However, if you’re using a raised bed, make sure to use roughly one part compost and two parts soil.
- Make sure to not over apply the compost, paying especially close attention to the instructions. Adding too much compost can lead to nutrient burn, and that can end up killing your plants.
The Best Bagged Compost: Reviews
Now that you know virtually everything there is to know about bagged compost, let’s take a look at some of the very best options on the market at this time to help those flowers bloom and your crops fruit.
Black Kow Organic Manure and Compost
If you’re looking for a cost-effective option that won’t break your bank, Black Kow Organic Manure and Compost is a good option to consider. It can be found online, in garden centers, and in hardware stores.
It’s a great type of compost to help loosen up the soil, and surprisingly enough, it doesn’t even smell that bad. It also features a balanced NPK ratio of 0.5, 0.5, 0.5.
As you can probably tell by the name of it, it’s made out of composted cow manure, and it works really well for vegetable and flower gardens alike. Something that stands out about it is its moisture retaining capabilities, along with the fact that it’s a slow-release compost, so it won’t burn your plants.
Ribbon Organics OMRI Certified Organic Compost
Blue Ribbon Organics has been around since 2009, and since then they’ve been creating some of the best and most highly rated organic compost on this side of the pond. What we have here is a 100% all natural and organic bag of compost that doesn’t contain anything synthetic or poisonous. It is safe to use at any concentration, and in terms of being organic, it is even OMRI certified.
This particular compost has a myriad of benefits, as it is full of nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and more, and it’s all thanks to a variety of organic matter. This compost is known to help buffer pH levels, increase water retention, improve aeration, and of course, provide your plants with plenty of nutrients.
Unco Industries Wiggle Worm 100% Pure Organic Worm Castings Fertilizer
Next on the list of some of the best compost and fertilizer is this one, which is made out of 100% worm castings. What’s nice about this product is that it can be used both indoors and outdoors, as it is odor free, and it works just as well for vegetables as it does for flowers.
The light and airy shaped particles that compose this fertilizer help to improve overall soil aeration, while also improving the ability of the plants to retain water. This is an organic product as well, made with nothing but pure earthworm castings. It’s full of essential nutrients that your plants need to grow, as well as a variety of trace elements. Overall, as far as worm castings are concerned, this is one of the best products out there.
Dr. Earth Natural Choice Compost Mix
Finally, we have Dr. Earth Natural Choice Compost Mix, which is a handcrafted blend of various organic materials designed to improve soil texture, break up clay, and makes for useful mulch as well.
It is 100% organic, so you don’t have to worry about any toxins getting into your flower bed or fruits. On that note, it’s also made with 100% natural materials, and it helps to provide your soil with better aeration, water retention, and overall nutrient bioavailability.
Michigan Peat 5240 Garden Magic Compost and Manure
If you’re looking for something that’s going to help provide your garden with a whole lot of benefits, including improving the soil texture, improving iteration and water retention, and improving the overall amount of nutrients available for plants, this is yet another fantastic compost and manure to consider.
What you get here is a combination of composted animal manure and organic reed sedge peat. It features a balanced breadth blend of nutrients that should be ideal for virtually any type of garden bed, and it’s well known for being extremely fibrous and moist, which comes with many benefits.
Final Thoughts on Bagged Compost
The bottom line here is that bag compost comes with many different benefits for your garden, and it’s certainly something to consider. When it comes to the best types of bagged compost, anyone of the five options we reviewed above are strongly recommended.
