Hillside Landscaping Organic Compost Benefits

Looking to improve your Connecticut lawn? Hillside Landscaping has written this article to help maintain the health of your lawn. Adding compost to organic lawns is one of the best organic lawn care practices for your grass. Composting improves the soil and provides a healthier lawn. In this article, we'll help teach you composting techniques for a healthy organic lawn.

What Is Compost?

Composting is the natural process of recycling organic material (leaves, vegetable scraps, fruit peels, etc.) into a rich soil amendment. Compost is simply decomposed organic matter that is made to support/boost plant life. Compost aids in providing beneficial biology and organic matter to the soil, these tiny microorganisms play a key role in the health of your ecosystem. Without them, your soil and lawn would be missing a key driver of microbial activity. In this article, we will cover how compost works and why it is so beneficial to organic lawn care.

How It Supports My Lawn’s Health

Compost improves the structure and texture of the soil enabling it to better retain nutrients, moisture, and air, which provides lasting health benefits for your lawn. Soil structure, which is improved by using compost, drains well, retains some moisture, and is easy to turn over. Healthy, compost-aided soil should be “crumbly” so it can allow air to penetrate while also holding enough moisture as to allow excess water the chance to drain away. Young, vulnerable roots also have a greater chance of penetration in soil that is aided by the addition of compost in the lawn.

Why Is Compost So Beneficial?

Not only does compost boost your soil’s composition, it also adds precious nutrients to your soil. The compost contains several key nutrients that grass/plants needs for a prosperous life; in addition to the three main nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium), compost also provides a variety of micronutrients, that like vitamins in our diet, play a vital role in the ability to absorb nutrients from other foods. For instance, most synthetic fertilizers are missing these micronutrients, that is why the use of compost is necessary whether you have gone organic or still use these detrimental fertilizers. Compost provides these nutrients that your lawn otherwise would be lacking.

Hillside Landscaping teaches why compost is beneficial for your organic lawn.

Compost Organic Benefits

In addition, compost proves beneficial to organic lawn care because of its makeup. Since compost is made up of different ingredients, nutrients release over a longer period into the lawn. Length of time varies in this composting process because some foods rot faster than others, releasing their nutrients at different speeds. Compost wouldn’t be so valuable if it weren’t for it’s natural, slow-release qualities. Over time, compost releases organic nitrogen that benefits the soil’s health and the plants rooted in it. Organic nitrogen attracts earthworms and other bugs that act as decomposers. The presence of these critters in the soil slowly breaks down any remaining organic material, releasing any nutrients that have yet to be used up. Additionally, bugs are also a strong sign of balanced soil ecology. Using compost in an organic lawn is also a great way to combat grubs.

Need More Information?

Hillside Landscaping Co. would be happy to provide you with more information regarding our composting techniques in our organic lawn care program. Hillside Landscaping is located in Berlin, CT and has been in business for well over 30 years. Providing the best in organic lawn care, landscape design, hardscape design and installation. We are NOFA Accredited (Northeast Organic Farming Association) and pride ourselves in servicing your lawn with only the best in organic lawn care products.

If you would like to speak with one of our Accredited Lawn Care Professionals, please call us at (860) 828-8929 or email contact@hillsidescapes.com. We look forward to hearing from you!