Compost really works!

Compost! It has magical powers to heal soil, enhance plant growth and it’s good for the planet, according to organic gardeners. The claims are so lofty that it’s hard to believe that it’s true unless you see if with your own eyes. If you are one of the Doubting Thomases, I have some visual evidence that might convince you !

Oat and pea covercrop in the garden. Compost was not applied to the sparse rows in the front, and was applied to the lush rows towards the back.

In this picture taken in October, the plants you can see are oats and field peas. I planted them as a cover crop, which is not meant to be eaten, but just used to protect the soil while it is not being used for growing vegetables. I prepared the soil by forking it to reduce compaction and adding fertilizer and compost, and then raked in the seed. However, for seven of the rows, I ended up running out of compost, so I prepared them the same exact way - forking, fertilizing and sowing seed - but didn’t add the compost. I bet you can tell by looking at the picture which rows those seven rows were (yes, the ones just past the foreground). I was super surprised at how much of a difference it made in the germination and vigor of the plants. The composted ones were lush and green, and the non-composted ones didn’t come up well and were scraggly, to put it charitably. You can guess that I ordered more compost right away to be added next year.

I got my compost this year from The Vermont Compost Company. It’s really good stuff, highly recommend.