Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

AZDYJ2K Tue Aug 16, 2011 5:03 pm

If MM or Compost is left out to dry, will nutrients be lost as a result? For example, I purchased a bag of MM over a year ago. Will it have the same amount of nutrients in it as the day it was bagged?

Velvet Elvis Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:39 am

Along the same lines.... I am wondering if my compost will maintain its nutritional value over the winter? I started my compost pile (first time) back in June, never needed to use it. Can I use this next year?

Squat_Johnson Mon Sep 26, 2011 5:22 pm

The way I understand it, the minerals don't really change. Older compost breaks down more over time... This holds true unless it is getting rained on a lot. Water washes away some minerals. Some cover their beds thorough the (rainy) winter.

**camprn** Mon Sep 26, 2011 7:26 pm

Velvet Elvis wrote:Along the same lines.... I am wondering if my compost will maintain its nutritional value over the winter? I started my compost pile (first time) back in June, never needed to use it. Can I use this next year?

I have a similar situation, I have compost ready to go now and I will incorporate as much of that compost into my boxes as I can this fal,l after cleanup. That way I'm ready for planting as early in the Spring as the boxes thaw out.

Velvet Elvis Tue Sep 27, 2011 10:58 am

Good to know. Thanks

Cincinnati Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:19 am

AZDYJ2K wrote:If MM or Compost is left out to dry, will nutrients be lost as a result? For example, I purchased a bag of MM over a year ago. Will it have the same amount of nutrients in it as the day it was bagged?

When you say: left out to dry, does that mean you left the bag out in the elements and rain got into the bag, or it comes moist in the bag?

Where did you leave it out? spread it on a tarp, on concrete, or on the ground?

To answer your question, drying it by evaporation will only lose H2O, not N-P-K. Rain can leach out some nutrients, but my compost is very high, especially in P&K. Unless you are leaving it to be rained on and dried repeatedly, you have nothing to worry about. I like my compost to be dry when I mix it into MM b/c it's easier to blend uniformly and eliminate the clumps.

My finished compost is dumped into a pile and covered with a tarp. Sometimes it gets blown off in hard storms and gets wet., but it is so rich in nutrients, it would take far longer to deplete the nutrients than it has before I use it.

AZDYJ2K Fri Sep 30, 2011 10:29 am

Cincinnati wrote:
When you say: left out to dry, does that mean you left the bag out in the elements and rain got into the bag, or it comes moist in the bag?

Where did you leave it out? spread it on a tarp, on concrete, or on the ground?

To answer your question, drying it by evaporation will only lose H2O, not N-P-K. Rain can leach out some nutrients, but my compost is very high, especially in P&K. Unless you are leaving it to be rained on and dried repeatedly, you have nothing to worry about. I like my compost to be dry when I mix it into MM b/c it's easier to blend uniformly and eliminate the clumps.

My question centered around an unopened bag of GardenTime MM. However, I do have some MM laying on a plastic tarp on concrete that has been exposed to the elements. I do plan to add new compost to that so I wasn't concerned about the nutrients with that stuff. Thanks for your answer.

Some of the other replies has me wondering about overwatering MM. If a person consistently overwaters their SFG, isn't it probable that many of the nutrients will be washed away?

**camprn** Fri Sep 30, 2011 11:53 am

AZDYJ2K wrote:Some of the other replies has me wondering about overwatering MM. If a person consistently overwaters their SFG, isn't it probable that many of the nutrients will be washed away?

Yes. This is why I like to top dress with finished compost and always recharge empty squares with plenty finished compost Very Happy

**Kelejan** Fri Sep 30, 2011 2:50 pm

[quote="AZDYJ2K"]

Cincinnati wrote:
Some of the other replies has me wondering about overwatering MM. If a person consistently overwaters their SFG, isn't it probable that many of the nutrients will be washed away?

I believe MM does lose nutrients because the grass surrounding my SFG beds is lovely and thick and green. Laughing

Cincinnati Fri Sep 30, 2011 7:08 pm

[quote="Kelejan"][quote="AZDYJ2K"]

Cincinnati wrote:Some of the other replies has me wondering about overwatering MM. If a person consistently overwaters their SFG, isn't it probable that many of the nutrients will be washed away?

Kelejan,

I don't know what happened to your post, but I did not write that.

**Kelejan** Fri Sep 30, 2011 7:27 pm

Sorry, Cincinatti, a bit of sloppy editing from AZDYJ2K's post.

Grovel. Embarassed

Sponsored content

Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time

Re: Does Old MM or Compost Lose Nutrients over time


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.