Why Compost?
The constant ascension of technology in the modern-day period conquers every essential role in society, making everything simple and easy. Some people might misinterpret how technology can hardly influence primitive ways and traditions of doing things, for example, agriculture. However, the truth is modernization provides schematic opportunities to farmers, and other soil cultivators not just with machinery, but also through agricultural knowledge. Research related to soil cultivation widens the variations while keeping things simple and effective. With this, people like farmers and gardeners will grasp the essentiality of soil and how it is the foundation of having healthy growing crops. Composting is one of the ancient ways of nourishing the soil and is still effective up to this date. If you’re new to gardening, farming, or any other related soil activities, you’re maybe wondering that with the availability of commercial fertilizers, why choose compost?
Composting is the natural process of breaking down organic matter through exposure to bacteria and other compost agents. The decomposed materials nourish the soil, creating a healthy foundation for your plants. The presence of essential bacteria in the soil is crucial as they are the primary decomposers of organic waste. Bacteria and other decomposers slowly sublimate the organic materials into carbon. The existence of carbon within the sole aids soil water-retention capacity.
Composting is a fun activity that also reduces global greenhouse gas emissions, improves the soil in our gardens and farms, and helps to minimize the amount of trash sent to landfills. Composting is another enjoyable, practical approach to having your family engaged in outdoor exposure. If you’re going to have a family bonding, why not do it while helping our environment?
Composting Over Everything Else: Top 3 Reasons!
If you ask local farmers or gardeners about their perspective on composting, they’ll surely tell you many good things. Composting is not something city folks apply in their garden activities. The majority of people that utilize composting are mostly from rural provinces with a vast range of agricultural lands. Composting is a traditional way of providing nourishment to the soil and is being applied by farmers for so many years, up to this date. That’s why it is understandable how many people are not knowledgeable in composting and is stuck up in using other plant-based commercial products. For you to grasp the essentiality of composting, here are 3 reasons to compost.
Promotes A Better Waste Management
The total of organic waste we generate every year is over billions. However, most people aren’t bothered by the statistical information, and still, constantly throw their garbage in inappropriate places. Keep in mind that our population only continues to grow, and many places will soon be considered overpopulated. By that time, without proper waste management, landfills wouldn’t be able to sustain garbages and will soon collapse. Before that happens, we must take into consideration the little things we can do to manage our waste better. Composting for an instance, disposing of green waste through decomposing is a great help in waste management as this largely lessens the amount of organic waste to be thrown at landfills.
Fight Against Climate Change
The greenhouse gas effect is essential to keep a stable amount of temperature in the earth coming from the sun. Yet, the constant production of smoke and many other factors slowly deteriorate the atmosphere, disturbing the cycle of receiving and reflecting back infrared. Instead, radiations from the sun are kept within the earth as the atmosphere couldn’t deflect it back to space. As a result, the phenomenon known as global warming occurs.
Recycling for Non-biodegradables, Composting for Biodegradables
Recycling is for non-biodegradable wastes while composting is for biodegradable ones. This stands true for many years, but as of now, experts are starting to doubt if recycling and composting are in the same category of having this level of environmental sense. Composting is a naturally occurring decomposition of organic waste. If we’re going to take composting for only waste management, there isn’t a single downside to it. Recycling, on the other hand, turns non-biodegradable wastes into valuable products. However, the process of recycling generates more waste considering other materials used such as adhesive, etc.
Compost vs Fertilizer: Only Real Gardeners Know What’s Best!
Plants require the same level of care and attention that you would provide to a person. While there are numerous commercial products available to stimulate plant growth, it is important to note that they usually comprise toxins that could be harmful to your plants. Compost, on the other hand, is an organic version of any plant-enhancing products (fertilizers, etc.) that can be also dangerous for your plants if the methods are not done appropriately. Even the most natural way of doing things can also harm your plants.
Compost
Advantages | Disadvantages |
⋅ The compost pile most compromises only natural products, that can be easily found in your home. | ⋅ The location of your compost soil is an issue, as the smell can bother your neighbors. |
⋅ The materials used in composting are mostly free, saving you from unnecessary expenses. | ⋅ The soil can be too acidic for plants to thrive and grow. |
⋅ Composting focuses more on using carbon source materials, rather than relying mainly on nitrogen. | ⋅ For non-gardeners, composting might be too much “dirty work”. |
⋅ The green and brown materials that are essential in making a balanced compost pile are found almost everywhere. | ⋅ Time-consuming considering the decomposing of organic materials takes at least a week to finish. |
⋅ Composting is a great way of helping our issues with waste management. | |
⋅ Composting is also known as the organic version of “recycling” but only with biodegradable materials. | |
⋅ With composting, we can have a cleaner environment. | |
⋅ Helps reduce the emission of greenhouse gas that causes climate change. | |
⋅ Provide plants with solid immunity to diseases. |
Fertilizer
Advantages | Disadvantages |
⋅ Accelerates plant growth. | ⋅ Fertilizers, for the most part, contain nitrogen which is toxic for plants if too much is added into the soil. |
⋅ Alleviates your plant’s vitamins and minerals deficiencies. | ⋅ Fertilizers are costly. |
⋅ Unlike composting, providing your plants with fertilizers consumes less time. | ⋅ Unlike composting, substances used in making a fertilizer are mostly artificial and originally harmful to your plants. |
⋅ Experts don’t advise too much usage of plant-based products that contain a lot of nitrogen, as it can not just only harm the plants, but also our environment as a whole. | |
⋅ Fertilizer doesn’t provide improvements for the soil. | |
⋅ Water can easily wash away fertilizers which can cause soil erosion. | |
⋅ Provides only limited-time benefits. | |
⋅ The soil is most likely to become less fertile over time with fertilizers. |