It also helps latch onto nutrients added in the form of fertilizer and prevents them from leaching out of the soil. In addition to benefiting soil fertility, compost improves the structure and texture of our native soils. It helps clay soils drain andimproves soil porosity, allowing plant roots to easily penetrate the soil. When added to sandy soils, compost helps hold water and plant nutrients, making them available to plant roots on demand. Compost also attracts earthworms by serving as their food source.
Earthworms enhance soil structure by burrowing and aerating the soil.
Their tunneling also brings valuable minerals from the subsoil up to the plant root zone. Before It Is Ready You may be tempted to use compost as a soil conditioner before it is ready. If the organic materials have not completely decomposed, plants growing in the amended soil may turn yellow and appear stressed. As the decomposition process continues near plant roots, soil micro-organisms compete with plants for nitrogen. Organic acids in undecomposed compost may also be harmful to plant roots.