Compost confusion.

[Bill HH]

I am confused about compost. On the one hand commercial compost such as multi purpose compost seems to be regarded more as bulk and to have little in the way of nutrients for plants. Even more so as levels of peat are being reduced.

On the other hand there seems to be a lot of people telling us that home made compost is the bee's knees and almost as full of nutrients as farm yard manure.

home made compost however contains no peat.

All these things can't be true, hence my confusion.

[arpoet]

You need to ask.... What is peat.
Peat - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Aberdeenplotter]

commercially produced composts have fertilisers added and this is whether it is peat based or not as(to the best of my knowledge )peat has little or no nutritional value. The benefit peat brings to compost is its ability to retain moisture and it is basically sterile. Home main compost will in the main be recently degraded and will therefore contain and retain manurial residues and it does also retain moisture although it may well contain fungal spores and other pathogens if it has not been "cooked" at a high enough temperature.

[Bill HH]

So are you saying commercialy produced compost is likely to be more beneficial than home made? due to it having fertilisers added?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Not at all. Commercial peat based compost is less likely to be infested with weeds/pathogens unless the home made compost is sustained at a high heat during the degradation process. Home made compost can have a higher manurial value than the commercial varieties. Depends what goes into it. I know I can't keep my compost hot enough for long enough so I wouldn't dream of using it for seed sowing. Instead, I use it in my beds for conditioning the soil where I grow my veg and use shop bought for sowing and potting on. I wouldn't dream of adding commercial made compost to my beds. Not because it is inferior. It is simply too expensive to use in that quantities

[Chippy Minton]

My understanding is that the compost is a good medium for growth as it helps maintain the nutrients. Homemade is good for the garden as it improves the soil and also has some nutrient. Commercial I'm guessing has nutrient added which it holds on to, hence why we get all the different numbers for different stages of plant growth and plant types. Also commercial 'compost' isn't just composted material but a mixture of stuff like compost, loam, peat, etc. to provide a suitable growing medium, you'd have to blend your own

Also taking the point that homemade may have nasties left in it from whatever is composted as it doesn't get hot enough and most commercial compost is probably sterilised (making this up now but you get the drift....)

Hope that helps - compost = good on the garden and good for the environment IMHO as it landfill doesn't allow it to compost properly

[Bill HH]

Ok I am begining to get to grips with this, and thank you for you help.

[rustylady]

IMO homemade compost is better for soil conditioning on the plot, and Multipurpose compost from stores is better for seed sowing and growing plants in containers.

[Veggielot]

I think home made compost can be good but it depends on what you make it from. I however agree with Rustylady. Home made for improving soil and mpc for pots and seeds.

[cptncrackoff]

Hi Bill,

I find my compost is good enough for adding to my raised beds at home, but its very coarse, a bit twiggy and brings on the weeds far more than 'bought' compost.
Peas and beans seem to love my homemade compost!

I then buy a seed compost or sieve levingtons multi/purpose and add some fine vermiculite for seeds/seedlings.

There is alot of peat debate, personally I do use 'normal' multipurpose composts that do contain peat,although the makers are reducing the amounts. Other people I'm sure feel differently but the peat free alternatives are not for me.