Known as ‘black gold’ in the gardening world, compost is a nutrient-rich, organic matter that encourages healthy plant growth and builds stronger soil structure. There are so many benefits and uses for compost, all helping you foster a more sustainable garden that isn’t reliant on chemical fertilisers. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, knowing the power of compost and how to use it correctly is essential.
What are the Benefits of Compost?
Compost is nature’s way of recycling organic waste — and it’s a powerhouse for your garden and the planet. Here’s why:
Enriches Soil: Packed with nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, compost boosts soil fertility and fuels strong, healthy plant growth.
Improves Soil Structure: Compost makes soil both well-draining and moisture-retentive, helping roots grow deeper and plants thrive.
Prevents Erosion: By strengthening soil structure, compost protects against erosion from wind and rain, keeping valuable topsoil and nutrients in place.
Fights Disease: Rich in beneficial microbes, compost helps suppress harmful pathogens, creating a natural defence system for your plants.
Balances pH: Compost stabilises soil pH, making it more welcoming to a wide variety of plants.
Boosts Water Retention: Acting like a sponge, compost helps soil hold moisture longer, reducing the need for frequent watering.
Cuts Chemical Use: With compost’s natural nutrients, you can rely less on synthetic fertilisers — which is good news for your garden and the environment.
Supports Root Growth: Nutrient-rich compost encourages strong, deep root systems, building the foundation for a lush, resilient garden.
Types of Compost
Before you start using compost, it's worth knowing which types are available and how they can be applied.
Garden Compost
Garden compost is a horticultural gem made from a balanced mixture of organic materials, including garden waste, leaves, grass clippings, and even small branches. This natural wonder is perfect for enriching garden beds, enhancing soil structure, and providing an invaluable boost to plant growth, making it a gardener's dream come true.
Composted Manure
Composted manure comes from livestock waste that has been thoroughly composted and aged. It can be source of nutrients and is often used in vegetable gardens to promote healthy crops, however incomplete composting can allow pathogens to remain so only buy from reputable suppliers.
Worm Castings
Worm castings, also known as vermicompost, are produced by earthworms breaking down organic matter. They’re rich in nutrients, microorganisms, and beneficial enzymes, making them a valuable addition to potting soils and garden beds.
Mushroom Compost
Mushroom compost is a by-product of the mushroom farming industry. It’s rich in organic matter and possesses a unique texture, so it’s commonly used for improving soil structure and enhancing moisture retention in beds. However, it’s worth noting, this type of organic matter can often contain up to 10% peat.
How to Use Compost in Your Garden
Now that we've explored the benefits and types of compost, let's delve into how to use it effectively in your garden. It can be used in a variety of ways to promote healthy plant growth and maintain a thriving garden.
1. As a Soil Amendment
Add a 2- to 3-inch layer to your garden beds. Use a garden fork or tiller to incorporate the compost into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil.
2. For Mulching
Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of compost around the base of your plants, ensuring that it doesn't touch the plant stems or trunks to prevent rot.
3. As a Potting Mix
Mix the compost with your potting soil in a 1:3 ratio (1 part compost to 3 parts soil) for potted plants. Fill the containers with the blended mixture for healthy and vibrant container gardens.
4. For Seed Starting
Create a seed-starting mix by combining compost and perlite, then fill your seed trays or pots with the mixture and sow your seeds.
5. Compost Tea
Create a nutrient-rich compost tea by steeping compost in water. Use the resulting liquid as a natural fertiliser for your garden.
6. For Topdressing the Lawn
Spread a thin layer over your lawn and rake it into the grass to improve soil structure and enhance nutrient content.
How to Make Your Own Compost
While there are various types of compost available to buy, you can also create your compost at home. Home composting helps reduces waste and provides you with a convenient source of nutrient-rich soil conditioner for your garden. Here's how to get started:
Choose a Location: The first step is choosing a location for your compost pile or bin. Ideally, it should be well-draining and receive partial sunlight. You also need to avoid areas that are prone to waterlogging.
Gather Ingredients: You'll need a mix of green and brown materials to create an effective soil conditioner. Green materials include kitchen scraps, grass clippings, and plant trimmings, while brown materials consist of dry leaves, straw, twigs, and newspaper.
Aim for a balance of both types to ensure a successful composting process – too much brown material and your compost will be too dry, while too much green and it will be too wet and won’t rot down properly.
Layer Materials: To begin, start with a layer of brown materials, and then add green materials on top. Keep layering the materials while adding a small amount of water as you go to maintain the right moisture levels.
Turn the Pile: Every few weeks, turn the pile to aerate it. This helps speed up the decomposition process.
Use Your Compost: After a few months to a year, depending on environmental conditions and the size of the pile, your compost should be ready for use. You’ll know when it’s ready when it’s a dark, crumbly texture and has a rich, earthy smell.
Sustainable Gardening with Compost
Compost is a vital component of sustainable gardening. It enables you to create an eco-friendlier garden that benefits both your plants and the environment. Here are some eco-conscious gardening practices:
Avoid Chemicals
Chemical fertilisers and pesticides can harm beneficial organisms, including worms. Instead, opt for organic alternatives. A rich compost soil conditioner will nourish your plants naturally, without causing unnecessary harm.
Use Woodland Mulch or Bark
Apply woodland mulch or bark, derived from wood chips, to your garden beds. This mulch helps regulate soil temperatures and retains moisture but it also provides an additional food source for beneficial creatures like worms.
Protect Worm Habitats
To promote a healthy worm population in your garden, it's important to avoid excessive soil disturbance and compaction, as these activities can disrupt worm tunnels and hinder their movement. Instead, you can provide shelter by incorporating organic matter like leaves and mulch into your garden, creating shelters for worm populations.
How to Improve Different Soil Types with Compost
Clay and chalk soils each present unique challenges and benefits for gardeners. Clay soil, though rich in nutrients, often suffers from poor drainage and compaction.
To improve it, you can break up the soil and mix in organic matter such as compost, which enhances aeration and structure. Heritage Products Compost Soil Improver is ideal for this, enriching the soil and supporting beneficial microbes—apply a 2–3 inch layer and work it in with a fork or tiller.
Follow with Heritage Products Topsoil to add nutrients and create optimal conditions for root growth, then finish with mulching using organic materials like woodland mulch to retain moisture and prevent erosion.
Chalk soil, on the other hand, is alkaline, shallow, and low in nutrients. Improve it by adding a 2–3 inch layer of Heritage Products Topsoil to supply essential nutrients and encourage root development. Incorporate organic matter such as composted leaves to slightly lower pH levels, to make the soil more hospitable for acid-loving plants.
When dealing with chalky soil, choose plants suited to alkaline conditions, such as drought-tolerant or native species, and maintain regular watering and mulching to combat quick drainage and moisture loss.
Green Waste Compost vs. Peat-Based Compost
Choosing the right compost benefits both your garden and the environment. Mushroom compost is known for improving soil and plant growth, but it often contains peat, a non-renewable resource tied to habitat loss and carbon emissions, so it’s less eco-friendly.
In contrast, green waste compost, made from recycled materials like leaves and grass clippings, enriches soil naturally while cutting landfill waste and methane emissions. It’s a sustainable choice that nourishes your garden and supports the planet.
Why Choose PAS 100 Certified Compost?
At Heritage Products, around 40,000 tonnes of plant waste are transformed each year into PAS 100 certified compost — the UK’s benchmark for quality and safety. Every batch undergoes strict testing for contaminants and follows a detailed process from shredding to maturing and screening, ensuring a safe, nutrient-rich end product.
When you choose PAS 100 green waste compost, you’re not just feeding your plants — you’re supporting sustainable gardening practices that protect people, wildlife, and the environment.
A Healthier Garden, A Healthier Planet
Compost is the unsung hero of gardening. It nourishes the soil, boosts plant growth, and supports an entire ecosystem of beneficial organisms. At Heritage Products, we’re proud to offer eco-friendly compost soil conditioners that help your garden — and the planet — thrive.