Compost Vs Manure | What Does Each Mean For Soil?

Manure and compost are two of the most effective fertilizers along with peat most for growing a long-lasting, healthy garden. What’s even great is that you don’t need to purchase any extra materials; use any scraps available at your home. However, there are several dos and don’ts related to both options. So, how can you distinguish between manure and compost?

Manure is made up of animal waste such as feces, urine, and other excrements. Plant items that degrade, such as grass, leaves, and table leftovers, are used to make compost. Let’s learn more about manure and compost.

What is Compost?

Compost is decomposed organic matter, and the term “organic matter” covers a wide range of things. Like just a banana peel, a twig can be considered the organic matter. When you combine a number of these items in a compost pile, they naturally decompose into a nutrient-rich fertilizer that assists in garden growth.

Composting is an amazing way to recycle these kinds of waste, orange peels, eggshells, rotten vegetables, etc. It’s a method for breaking down organic compounds that rely on tiny organisms. They decompose these items to create new soil.

In gardening, landscaping, horticulture, urban agriculture, and organic farming, compost and mulch helps to enhance soil fertility. Compost provides nutrients to crops, bell pepper seeds, and plants and compost act as fertilizer, soil conditioner, increases the soil’s humus or humic acid content, and introduces helpful microbial colonies that help inhibit diseases in the soil.

For both leisure gardeners and commercial farms, it decreases the price of commercial chemical fertilizers. Land and stream restoration, wetland building, and landfill cover are all possible uses for compost.

At its most basic level, composting means gathering a mixture of ‘Greens’ and ‘Browns.’ Leaves, grass, and food wastes are examples of greens, which are nitrogen-rich materials. Stalks, paper, and wood chips are examples of brown carbon-rich woody materials. The materials are wetted to break them down into humus, and it is a long-term process. Composting is better for the environment than dumping organic waste in landfills since composting minimizes ch4 emissions and delivers economic and environmental advantages.

What are the Benefits of Compost for Your Lawn?

The following are the Benefits of Compost for Your Lawn :

Soil Structure Is Improved – When plants don’t develop to their full potential, it’s usually due to a lack of soil structure. The trees may die due to a lack of root depth. Compost helps plants grow better by controlling the pH of the soil.

Plants with fewer diseases – According to studies, composted soil produces plants with fewer disease issues. Manure prevents diseases and lowers bugs in the grass. The microorganisms in compost assist in decomposing garbage and other contaminants, preventing chemical residues from entering water bodies.

Beneficial Organisms in the Soil are Maintained – Beneficial microorganisms in the soil help plants grow healthily by increasing the nitrogen percentage in the soil. Compost promotes the feeding of soil microbes.

Sand soil is bulked up – If your soil is too sandy, water will run away from plant roots too fast. Adding compost to the soil can give it structure, which will help it retain more water.

What is Manure?

Manure is the degraded form of dead plants and animals spread on the soil to boost productivity. It is a cost-effective and natural source of fertilizer. Excreta from humans and animals are also utilized as manure. Cattle manure is rich in nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium. Because manure is abundant in organic matter and humus, it promotes soil fertility. These are more cost-effective in the long term and do not pollute the environment. It is a resource that is both valuable and renewable.

Manure is a natural fertilizer produced from the feces of domestic animals, including horses, cows, and chickens. Urine and bedding materials like straw or sawdust may also be present. Manure’s organic component may also be utilized to generate renewable energy, reducing the emission of the greenhouse gas methane into the environment.

If you have your little farm or homestead, you may use the manure produced by your animals to fertilize your vegetable garden. Your manure may be blended with your existing dirt once properly composted.

What are the Benefits of Applying Manure in your Garden?

The following are the Benefits of Applying Manure in your Garden:

Manure increases soil nutrition and moisture- When you leave mounds of manure in the same area for a long time after using them, the soil changes. This procedure enhances water filtration, promotes soil nutrition, and increases the amount of moisture it can store.
Manure is healthy for soil and plants- Manure improves soil air quality, generates healthier plant life, and aids in the drainage of adjacent soil. When you apply manure to the ground for crop production, it affects and enhances everything from the roots to the soil’s nutrition for many years to come.
No need to worry about scavengers and animals- Scavengers and other animals won’t try to consume the dung mound. You’ll have to deal with flies, which is to be anticipated. Well-fed animals generate manure, which you may utilize to grow more food for them.
Manure is cheap- Manure may be as cheap as pennies if you have enough cattle to keep the pile going. It may require some effort and time, but there is no need to purchase anything to speed up the process.

What is the Difference Between Compost and Manure?

The following table shows the difference between compost and manure:

Basis	Compost	Manure
1. Meaning	Compost is organic matter that has decomposed and is used as a fertilizer.	Manure is a type of fertilizer made from the excrement of animals.
2.Distribution	Plant debris, vegetable and fruit peels, newspapers, napkins, coffee ground, eggshells, and a variety of other materials are all used to make compost.	Manure is made up of animal waste such as urine, faeces, runoff, spilt feed, and livestock bedding.
3. Purpose	Compost is made by amending the soil with humus.	We can either put the manure directly on the soil surface or inject it.
4. Odor	There is no such odor in compost.	Manure has an unpleasant odor because it contains animal waste.
5. Availability	Composting is a simple process and you can make at home.	It’s not easy to find manure.
6. pH	The pH of compost is 6-8, which is neutral.	Manure has a pH of 8-12 and is often basic.

Comparing Compost and Manure | Which could be Better for your Lawn?

Long-term soil health improvement is best achieved using compost and manure. The additions of each have their own set of benefits and drawbacks. You may mix and match compost and manure depending on the needs of your garden or farm. Know how much and when to use it, though.

1. Production

Manure is made mostly from cattle manure, which is decomposed naturally by microbes. Decomposition produces compost as well, but it is regulated. Compost is a soil amendment made by aerobic (oxygen-requiring) microorganisms under regulated circumstances from an organic substrate (a surface on which organisms thrive).

2. Impact on Soil Health

Erosion control, enhanced aeration, water retention, and other soil health advantages are all provided by manure and compost. It enhanced soil nutrient availability due to increased soil microbial activity, breakdown of toxic substances, improved soil structure and root growth, and higher soil water availability.

3. Cost

Although manure is usually always free, you will have to pay for transportation to your location. Compost is quite pricey due to the significant and frequently expensive resources required in its manufacturing. Compost can save money over traditional soil, water, and air pollution treatment solutions.

4. Environmental Implications

Composting also assists in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. Chemical fertilizers are reduced, and it is removed by compost in some cases. In manure, the liquid is carried by pipeline rather than tanker truck, which results in lower vehicle emissions and road wear and tear. Manure has a low environmental impact due to its organic origin.

Closing Thoughts

I like both compost and manure, but If I have to choose between them, I’ll choose compost. It improves soil quality and extends the life of your soil through continuous microbial activity. Manure is used to make a lot of compost. Thus it’s included in the manure stream. As a result, the amounts will have to be lower than the manure produced by 70% of our agriculture.

Compost combined with manure (basically, prepare your compost using manure as one of the elements) is the finest option. This combination gives you the best of both worlds, resulting in a rich, loamy organic material to nourish your soils.