Q – What are the benefits of Compost?
There are a number of benefits to compost that other materials cannot match:
– Compost can hold 2-3 times its weight in water. It’s great for retaining moisture.
– Compost contains beneficial microbes that help prevent some diseases and stimulate plant growth.
– Compost has both macro and micro nutrients. In addition to Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, compost also contains several other trace minerals.
Q – What raw materials go into your compost?
We collect food scraps from local homes, offices and businesses and mix that food waste with wood chips from local tree companies. We DO NOT use yard waste, manure, biosolids, or industrial waste in our compost production.
Q – Is your compost safe to use?
Our compost products are made according to certain production standards and are regulated by the Department of Environmental Protection. Our compost piles exceed 140F for at least 72 hours straight to kill pathogens and weed seeds. Our regular compost undergoes a 30 day active composting process and a minimum of 90 days of curing. Our vermicompost undergoes the standard compost process for at least 21 days and then spends at least 30 days being worked on by our worm employees.
Each batch of our regular compost undergoes a seed germination test before it is released for sale. This ensures that we are only selling a high quality product that is ready for use by our customers. We periodically send out our compost for formal laboratory testing. These results are available upon request.
Q – How big is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet or 200 gallons. Please note that we don’t sell compost by the square yard, we live in a 3D world 🙂
Q – What is the pH of the compost?
Our compost hovers right around neutral (7) from batch to batch. That is one of the ways we track whether the material is fully mature. We have lab reports available by request.
Q – What is the Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio (C:N) of the compost?
The C:N ratio on our most recent batch of finished compost was 13:1. That is one of the ways we track whether the material is fully mature. We have lab reports available by request.
Q – What is the white stuff in the compost?
Our compost is innoculated with fungi and actinomycetes that will break down the small woody bits in the compost over time. This helps turn the material slowly into a rich humus. These microbes are interested in the woody matter within the compost, not your plants.