Benefits of Using Compost

As more and more compost is produced and utilized and as the body of end-use related research grows, the benefits of using compost have become more evident and measurable. Because of its many attributes, compost is extremely versatile and beneficial in many applications.

Compost has the unique ability to improve the properties of soils and growing media physically (structurally), chemically (nutritionally) and biologically. Although many equate the benefit of compost use to lush green growth, caused by the plant-available nitrogen, the real benefits of using compost are long-term and related to its content of living-organic matter.

Some of the benefits of using compost include:

• Improves the soil structure, porosity, and density, thus creating a better plant root environment.
• Increases moisture infiltration and permeability of heavy soils, thus reducing erosion and runoff.
• Improves water-holding capacity, thus reducing water loss and leaching in sandy soils.
• Supplies a variety of macro and micronutrients.
• May control or suppress certain soil-borne plant pathogens.
• Supplies significant quantities of organic matter.
• Improves cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soils and growing media, thus improving their ability to hold nutrients for plant use.
• Supplies beneficial micro-organisms to soils and growing media.
• Improves and stabilizes soil pH.
• Can bind and degrade specific pollutants.

For more detail on the benefits of composting, choose one of the following sections.

© 2000, Jim McNelly

• Physical Benefits of Compost

• Chemical Benefits of Compost

• Biological Benefits of Compost

• Additional Benefits of Compost