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Compost Analysis
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Posted by organicdan z5b Nova Scotia (My Page) on Fri, Nov 6, 09 at 8:13
One must understand that compost addition is an influencing amendment. It is more than just organic matter. There are nutrients in compost that vary with each mix of inputs. Do you know the analysis of your compost? Is the mix of home resources, from a farm, from the community or unknow? Are you restoring balance or contributing to overabundance or deficiency?
The organic matter componebt of compost will stimulate organism activity. This activity shall make available those nutrients previously locked up. The NP & K do not diminish the requirements of micro-nutirents such as calcium, copper, zinc, boron or magnesium; each contribute to ability of nutrient up-take. Excesses can impede nutrient availability or up-take.
Compost nutrients are not all available in the first year. Nutrient budgeting (specific availability) accounts for varying availabilities of all the inputs. More than one input increases the need for nutrient management.
Soil management is not just an annual event. Amendments, particularly organic inputs, budget nutrient availability over years. This year's green manure has impact over three years, likewise a compost. What one puts into compost will vary in analysis and further impacted by losses (leaching or volitization) impact the final compost analysis.
If you apply compost in large amounts several times per year then analysis is more essential. All the more important is the original soil analysis on which you base your amendment needs.
Do not base the benefit on just the current year. Look at the long-term impact of your amendments. Use on-line data to determine what you are putting into your piles (C:N, NPK, etc). If importing your compost, ask for a copy of the analysis. Gain the benefits of your compost through good management. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Compost Analysis
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- Posted by gjcore 5 Aurora Co. (My Page) on
Sun, Nov 8, 09 at 1:52
RE: Compost Analysis
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| Because the nutrients in compost are not readily soluble it is not easy to determine what the nutrient load of compost is, and what happens in the soil when compost is added can be different (even if the nutrients are known) depending on the Soil Food Web you have. Compost, and other organic matter, should not be thought of in the same way that synthetic fertilizers are. |
RE: Compost Analysis
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- Posted by pt03 3 Southern Manitoba (My Page) on
Sun, Nov 8, 09 at 8:20
| And it's more than just what is put into the soil, one has to consider the crop grown on it. Every crop has it's own nutrient requirements. Speculation on my part but I suspect that for an average homeowner, this would be way over analysing it and may take some of the fun out of gardening. Lloyd |
RE: Compost Analysis
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| I’m sure what the OP said is true, but I think it applies more to large scale and/or commercial composters than to the average backyard gardener. I’d say for a lot of us, composting is a supplement and merely a way to take advantage of the diversion of usable materials from the landfill that would otherwise naturally go back to the earth. Most of us are not trying to make a specific product, and I would even say that if we (the home gardener) use what we have on hand, and don’t try to go too "large-scale" and end up going out of our ways to obtain materials that may not be fit for the compost pile, I don’t think there will be any issues with quality, provided that the proper composting techniques are followed for each of our specific needs. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the end product will address all soil needs, nor is it expected to. If we find that we have specific soil deficiencies, it may actually be better to supplement with other things besides just compost for the majority of us. |
RE: Compost Analysis
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| And the nutrient levels in compost are low enough and slow enough to disperse or become available that it is highly unlikely one risks over supplying :-) It is far more likely, as the previous poster has stated, that some other nutrient supplementation may be required, especially with harvestable, edible crops that actually remove nutrients from the soil. |
RE: Compost Analysis
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| organicdan: good points. I suspect the thrust of what you had in mind is, pay attention to what you are doing when adding compost to your soil. As one steeped in horticultural science I appreciate the deeper points you make. For many home gardeners with no science background it may fall on disinterested ears. I struggle to pay attention even when I'm trying to pay attention:-) Michael |
RE: Compost Analysis
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Thanks Michael, most gardeners are unaware of their soil or the nutrient cycles. Most do not know that a soil test reveals only the plant available nutrients; large amounts of locked-up researve may be present. Imbalance may occur when unguided amendment such as compost add to potential high levels when organisms become active again.
Some excesses actually block uptake of others or have toxicity effects which stunt growth.
There is plenty of info available. Search soil nutrient imbalnce, soil nutrients, soil chemistry, soil biology, or the terms used in soil analysis. Only then can they understand what is meant by a balance.
Every soil is different. Crop demands are different.
The costs of soil and/or compost analysis will reduce the costs of those employing hit or miss amending. Find direction in building the fertility and health of your soil. There is no magic behind soil sciences. |
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