You don’t have to be a gardening expert to understand what compost is, and why it is so important for both our gardens but also our whole farming and agriculture.
Put very simply, good quality compost is a nutrient-rich food product that helps to improve soil structure, maintain moisture levels whilst keeping a soil’s pH balance in check which supports to suppress plant disease.
Good quality compost will include everything a plant needs to thrive, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This all sounds very positive, and it is! However one simple element can soon alter this in a negative light; and that is plastic.
But before we go on to that, let’s explore the benefits of compost, especially for those of you whom are wanting to compost from home:
Adds Nutrients to the Soil
As we mentioned earlier in the article, every plant needs nutrients to survive, and to thrive. This supports their growth and with photosynthesis. Because compost is so rich in nutrients, when added to the top of soil the nutrients quickly filter into the ground.
Recycles Kitchen and Garden Waste
No matter how hard we try, we will always create waste in our kitchens and gardens. Whether this is from our peeled apples, our teabags, or even from the leaves we sweep up. Composting can save 30% of your waste going into your rubbish bin.
Reduces Landfill Waste
Although natural waste will decompose in a landfill, the process is a lot slower, and the nutrients that are produced are wasted.
Introduces Organisms to the Soil
Bacteria, fungi and protozoa decompose organic matter and help to aerate the soil; which doesn’t just support plant growth, but also helps to stop some plant diseases.
Good for the Environment.
The good news is that composting at home is free and will provide you with ample nutrient rich compost you can use in your garden to support your plants growth.
How Plastic Affects Compost
When we think about the negative impact of plastic in compost, it can be quite easy to think about big, clunky pieces of waste sitting on top of soil and ruining the aesthetics and also the soil directly underneath it. However the problem with plastic and compost lies much deeper than that; especially when we think about micro plastics.
If you can imagine very small particles of plastic, no bigger than a grain of sand sitting within soil and compost it can very quickly dilute the nutrients within the compost which then means that plants and wildlife suffer.
Plastic bags when thrown on to land can make soil less fertile because of the toxins and chemicals that lie within the plastic which once again has a very detrimental impact on wildlife and plants alike.
