I've seen analysis of compost as low as 0.1- 0.1- 0.1. That's a far cry from applying someting that's 20-20-20.

Karen

True. That's why one might need to add 200 times as much compost (by volume or weight?)

But I understand that when most people say "Fertilizer", they mean "concentrated chemical fertilizer that comes out of a bag, made by the chemical industry".

But anyone who gardens or farms in the same spot for more than a few years HAS to fertilize (even cover crops won't replenish P and K and micronutrients).

I call compost "organic fertilizer", but most people make a distinction, and won't call manure or compost "fertilizer", even though that is what keeps their soil fertile.

Wouldn't it be more accurate if we called compost "fertilizer" since it maintains fertility and tilth, and called those bags of chemicals "mineral additives"? Or perhaps "chemicalizer", since it adds chemicals.

(I guess one doesn't need to fertilze if the Nile spreads new sediment on your fields every year, or wind-blown loess or volcanic ash bring in all the minerals you need. Or glaciers - glaciers may re-fertilize a field, if they leave any of the original soil in place.)

Compost has some plant-feeding effects, but it's really more of a soil amendment than a fertilizer. It does more for overall soil health (tilth, moisture retention, drainage) than actually feeding plants.

If you feed the soil food web, and feed your soil, it in turn feeds your plants.

Karen

Definitely team compost (and poop) for me

Good to see you back, Dahlia!

thanks everso Trish Had to zip out to see my beluved EMoo. Lot's of luvly new things on site to check out I see