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What is Compost?
Compost is the natural breakdown of
organic material. It contains nutrients that, when returned to
the soil, are beneficial to plants. This is nature’s way
of recycling. Compost holds approximately six times its weight
in water and improves the structure of soil by adding organic
matter.
What are the benefits of Nature’s Best Compost?
-Improves soil structure, porosity, and density, thus creating a
better plant root environment
- Increases infiltration and permeability of heavy soils, thus reduces
erosion and runoff
-Provides moisture management for your lawn or garden
-Provides organic matter and nutrients plants need
-Modifies and stabilizes pH
-Can bind and degrade specific pollutants.
Where can I use Compost?
-Slope stabilization
-Establish new lawns
-Lawn rejuvenation
-Industrial site remediation
-Athletic turf for sports fields or golf courses
-Erosion control
-Land reclamation.
What is Mulch?
Mulch is an organic or inorganic material placed on the ground
around flowers, shrubs or trees. Its purpose is to conserve moisture,
retard weed growth, and improve aesthetics. Some mulch will add
organics back into the soil. Nature's Best Top Dress Mulch is
a finely ground, fully composted material that will add organics
to your planting areas. The Red & Black mulches are colored
with 100% organic dyes that won't wash off.
How much Mulch?
-One cubic yard covers 108 square feet, 3 inches deep.
-Six cubic yards cover 1,000 square feet, 2 inches deep.
When to Mulch?
In order to receive all the benefits from mulch it should be
done all year. During the spring, the mulch will help
keep out weeds and reduce erosion in the rainy seasons. Mulch
significantly cuts water losses and improves the efficiency of
your irrigation efforts in the hot summer months. In the winter,
mulch helps to insulate the soil and stabilize moisture, protecting
your plants during the harsh weather.
What are the benefits of Mulch?
Mulch significantly reduces the weed growth in your flower beds
Mulch helps keep the soil moist and at an even temperature
Mulch help control erosion and prevents soil compaction
Mulch reduces the need for trimming grass around trees or poles
Mulch helps your plants and flowers maintain water thus cutting
the cost of irrigation
Mulch reduces the costs of buying and applying herbicides.
What is Erosion?
Erosion is the movement of soil caused by water, wind or ice.
When rain hits an uncovered soil surface, the droplets separate
soil particles. If there is more rainfall than the ground can
absorb, the resulting run-off carries these soil particles away.
Soils stripped of organic matter and essential nutrients retards
vegetation growth; thus leading to even further erosion.
Why Control Erosion?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the United States
loses more than 2 billion tons of topsoil each year to erosion.
Erosion removes fertile soil rich in nutrients and organic matter.
Over time, erosion, can lead to land void of topsoil.
Erosion control is also important for the water quality. The
US EPA has declared that sediment (silt) contamination of our
surface waters is the biggest threat to our nation’s water
resources. When eroded sediment flows into nearby bodies of water,
it also carries fertilizers, pesticides, and the other contaminants
including gasoline, oil, or soap from your carwash. This has
a damaging effect on fish and aquatic vegetation.
What are the benefits of using Compost for Erosion Control?
Using compost in highly erosive areas can decrease erosion and
allow quicker establishment of vegetation. One study showed compost
application reduced soil loss by 86% compared to bare soils.
Sediments reaching nearby surface waters decreased by 99%
when compared to silt fences.
Compost controls Erosion by:
Increasing water infiltration into the soil surface.
Reducing runoff and soil particle transport in runoff.
Increasing plant growth and soil cover.
Reducing soil particle dislodging.
Increasing water-holding capacity of soil which reduces runoff.
Buffering soil pH, which can increase vegetation establishment
and growth.
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