There is a confusion about the nutrient content of home composts. It's often refered to as 'black gold' which might be a bit misleading. I understood that one of the main benefits of home compost was from the bugs that poo in the pile or heap. Lots of worms means lots of worm poo. The most life (and death) in your compost, the richer the mix. If you add manure to your pile, even more life can burst and the richer the mix.
On a nutrient level, would you not agree with the above?
GW has recommended using home made compost to add to a potting mix.
I get confused with the home made compost bit . I don't see the difference with me added the extra FBB or Bonemeal or man made pellets to my finished Home made compost than a manufactured MPC adding it to theirs . Grass or wood chip etc rotting down in a yard for industrial compost company isn't any different than it rotting down in my bin its just faster .
I don't use HMCompost for seedling but I do use it for growing tomatoes - potatoes and other veg , I add a weekly supplement for the tomatoes , use it as a thick mulch with a hand full of bonemeal /fbb for spuds they seem to grow fine.
@Perki I imagine that the difference is that your homemade compost is 'live' whereas the compost bought in bags is usually sterlised to move pathogens.
@Perki I imagine that the difference is that your homemade compost is 'live' whereas the compost bought in bags is usually sterlised to move pathogens.
Its usually recommend to only use home made compost as a mulch cause its not rich enough I would presume, the same would apply to bought MPC if it didn't have the added Bone meal etc , I know its not as simple as that MPC is like a recipe and certain amounts of this and that are added to make the ideal growing medium . I know its not advise to be used with young plants like as you've said which I agree with . I am looking at it as a stand alone product is MPC that much more better than home made compost when you added the same/similar types of ingredient like slow release pellets . At least I know what in the Home made compost my secateurs and that trowel I lost a year ago
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I don't use HMCompost for seedling but I do use it for growing tomatoes - potatoes and other veg , I add a weekly supplement for the tomatoes , use it as a thick mulch with a hand full of bonemeal /fbb for spuds they seem to grow fine.
The previous posts in this thread though are a wealth of knowledge and have definitely cleared up some of the things I couldn't understand.