The secret to a beautiful garden includes ... COMPOSTING

By Susan McMann

OSU Ext. master gardener volunteer

Organic matter, compost, hummus... why would any of us who live in urban/suburban areas, in this century, want to partake in this age-old practice?

There are many reasons some of us who live in urban/suburban areas are learning the art of creating “black gold.” Some reasons include:

Soil amendments such as compost, when mixed with the natural clay found in our landscapes helps make our soil softer and easier to work with.

Used as a mulch/top covering for gardens, it helps enrich soil, retain moisture, keep weeds at bay, and suppress plant diseases and pests.

It helps the environment by recycling yard/kitchen waste, keeping it from landfills. This reduces methane and lowers our carbon footprint.

But the main reasons many of us compost is: Creating it is inexpensive; it reduces the need for fertilizers; it’s the secret ingredient to amazingly beautiful gardens; and it provides satisfaction from making our own.

Quality organic material is extremely important to plant nutrition and plant health. Further, compost is an extremely important part of growing fresh, locally grown vegetables. Those who grow organically rely on it for most of their plant nutrition.

Since composting is so helpful, why are many of us not practicing it?

One reason is that many of us believe that a “green thumb” is needed to be good at growing plants. Knowing how to care for the plants is what counts. Most of us know that the sun and water are important in growing plants. But many of us are not aware of the importance of organic matter in plant nutrition and plant health.

Compost helps plants nutritionally by adding nutrients to soil. It contains a variety of the basic nutrients required for healthy growth. In addition to the main three – nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium – of special significance, are the micronutrients such as manganese, copper, iron and zinc. Micronutrients, like vitamins for humans, are needed only in small doses, but they play an important role in plant growth.

Research shows soil treated with compost tends to produce plants with fewer problems. It seems that compost “helps control diseases and insects that might otherwise overtake a more sterile soil that lacks natural checks against spread, according to the Illinois Extension.

A final reason is that creating compost helps us to understand the natural cycle of life and decay. In nature, there is no waste; every living thing serves a greater purpose past its own lifespan and contributes to the growth of something else. It’s easy to forget this crucial fact, but when you delve into composting your own yard and vegetable/kitchen “waste,” you learn to appreciate the cycle of life which involves decay and new growth equally. Composting helps us understand that everything has a place in the world.

For information on creating compost, contact the Mahoning County Green Team or visit http://go.osu.edu/compostathome.