Gardens are particularly vulnerable after the recent weather events and restoring them to their former glory can be challenging.
In this post, we outline why you need to compost after flooding and provide expert tips on the most popular types of compost available to get your garden growing again.
Why composting is important, particularly after floods
As gardeners, we know the importance of good soil. With all the recent rain and floodwaters inundating our area, topsoil is often washed away, leaving plants dislodged. Adding compost to improve the soil helps restore the balance of nutrients required to deliver better growing conditions, produce more flowers and deliver healthier produce. With the right compost, your garden will spring back to its full potential in no time.
Types of Compost
There is a wide variety of compost available for all types of plants, so your choice of compost will depend on the existing soil and the plants you wish to grow. From peat-based compost to loam-based compost, peat-free compost, organic compost and multi-purpose compost. If you’re looking to compost after flooding, speak to our friendly team at Plateau Landscaping Supplies – we’ll be happy to advise you on the best compost for your individual soil and plantings
The Lowdown on Mushroom Compost
Mushroom compost is a variety of slow-release organic compost. Made by mushroom growers, this product also contains ingredients such as straw, corn cobs, hay and some chicken or horse manure. Some mushroom compost may also have peat moss, soybean, gypsum, lime or other organic materials added to it. The exact recipe varies, depending on each mushroom farmer’s growing process.
Mushroom compost is a relatively inexpensive product often used to enrich the soil in gardens, lawns and container plants. Care must be taken when using mushroom compost around young seedlings or salt-sensitive plants such as rhododendrons or azaleas due to its high soluble salt levels.
It’s important to thoroughly mix your mushroom compost into the garden soil for best results.
Facts on Manure Blends
For plants to thrive, they need soil that is rich in organic matter, such as animal manure from cows, sheep, chooks, horses and pigs, providing the best source of nutrients for your plants. This organic matter attracts soil microbes and earthworms that turn the soil over, breaking it down to produce a very rich soil to help your plants and vegetables grow and thrive.
While some gardeners use fresh manure from their own farm animals, the fresh version can burn some plants and there are often a lot of weeds in it. With commercially bagged manures, the product has been composted, blended and aged, with weeds removed, making a more stable and viable manure. Compost producers test the product to ensure the right level of trace elements and nutrients are present, making the commercial product safer to use on vegetable gardens and edible plants.
Even if your plants have been waterlogged during flooding, once dried out and composted, they will need to retain fresh water. An added bonus of commercially produced manures is that some contain a wetting agent, which helps conserve water use within your garden.
The Role of Fertilisers and Minerals
Fertilisers are a blend of minerals that are vital for soil fertility and the healthy growth of plants. Their role is to supply the right nutrients to the soil, to ensure healthy plants, fruits and vegetables are produced.
Did you know? Fertilisers are not made from chemicals. In fact, the most common fertiliser ingredients, such as potassium, phosphate and nitrogen, are found in nature.
It’s important to know that fertilisers do not alter the DNA of the plant, their role is simply to add the nutrients required to improve growth and crop yield.
Adding fertiliser to your soil after it has been flooded in a great way to restore that all-important balance of nutrients in your garden.
What are Premium Garden Soils?
A premium garden soil is a rich blend of organic matter that delivers a well-balanced combination of nutrients to your fruit, vegetables and flowering plants.
Plateau Landscape Supplies at Alstonville stock a wide range of landscape supplies for Byron Bay, Ballina and Bangalow customers. We are organic mulch suppliers and landscaping soil suppliers – and we sell premium garden soils. We’re open 6 days per week for your convenience.
At Plateau, we love talking compost – and we sell all types of this wonderfully rich organic matter. Feel free to ask us any gardening related questions you may have, especially those about choosing the right compost after flooding.
Call 02 6788 1234 to chat to our friendly staff or visit us at 14 Kays Lane, Alstonville.