Because compost:

1. Improves the soils structure, porosity and density, creating a better plant root environment.
2. Increases permeability of heavy soils, reducing erosion & runoff.
3. Improves water holding capacity of sandy soils, reducing water loss & leaching.
4. Supplies a variety of macro & micronutrients
5. Can control or suppress certain soil-borne plant pathogens
6. Supplies significant amount of organic matter
7. Improves cation exchange capacity of soils, improving their ability to hold nutrients for plant use.
8. Supplies beneficial microorganisms to soils and growing media.
9. Improves and stabilizes soil pH
10. Can bind & degrade specific pollutants.

Although compost is not considered a fertilizer, it does have a positive, cumulative effect on soil nutrient levels. Whatever nutrients are present, are more bioavailable to plants growing in soils with added compost.

In Whatcom County, some dairy farms have an excess of dairy manure, since there are more cows producing on less farmland. This can lead to environmental problems. As gardeners, we can take advantage of this imbalance, help the environment, and use the extra nutrients in our gardens.

In dairy compost, large portions of the plant nutrients ingested by cows will appear in the manure. There is a broader range of nutrients contained in diary manure than in many commercial fertilizers. When manure is properly composted, pathogens are not a problem, and the nutrients are stable. When applied to your garden, or around your trees and plants, this compost will slowly and gently add nutrients, and greatly benefit the soil.