SOILMATE® Compost

SOILMATE® Compost – What Is Compost

The US Composting Council’s definition says:

“Compost is the product resulting from the controlled biological decomposition of organic material that has been sanitized through the generation of heat and stabilized to the point that it is beneficial to plant growth. Compost is an organic matter resource that has the unique ability to improve the chemical, physical and biological characteristics of soils or growing media. It contains plant nutrients but is typically not considered as a fertilizer.”

Soilmate® compost is the trademark name we use to differentiate our compost from others. Soilmate® is made entirely from leaves, grass and brush which produce a stable, highly beneficial and environmentally friendly product.

Loudoun Composting has been a member of the US Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance Program since 2001, your guarantee that the product we sell you is of the highest quality.

SOILMATE® Compost is used at many of our Nation’s Capitol’s
most famous Monuments and Federal Buildings

Soilmate® Compost Benefits

As recycling continues to prove a worthy effort, the benefits of using compost have been extensively studied. The results reveal physical, chemical biological and environmental benefits. There are many uses of compost, all of which have been proven useful in some way.

Compost benefits the soil where it is used by improving drainage and moisture absorption, especially in soils that are otherwise poor quality. This makes growing in various types of soils easier and more productive. Compost also benefits the plant matter grown in the soil by providing nutrients to the plant’s growing area. Compost helps reduce runoff, making the use of fertilizer more productive and keeping it out of the water.

Environmentally, the use of compost has been shown to remediate, or clean up, contaminated soils by reducing toxic runoffs, binding certain toxins that might otherwise escape, and it prevents erosion when used near roadways, lakes, rivers, and streams. In addition to the biological, chemical, and environmental benefits of compost, the use of compost creates economic benefits.

Using compost reduces the amount of fertilizer, water, and pesticides needed to produce healthy plants, and it is cheaper than artificial soil.

KARBON® Leaf Mulch

What is KARBON® Leaf Mulch?

Karbon® Leaf Mulch is the registered trademark name we use to identify our mulch.

While leaf mulch has been used for many years by professional landscapers and gardeners it is now coming into its own as a mulch with many merits.

Much of the product on the wholesale market today is manufactured from brush and clearing debris, while initially having a good appearance can lose color in the heat of the summer. Coarser wood mulch also takes a long time to break down leaving you with the added cost of removing some or all of it in the spring.

Karbon® Leaf Mulch consists of nothing but leaves which are ground up and then through a natural process, heated to 140 degrees or more to kill any dormant weed seeds. Water is added to activate the tannins and accelerate the darkening process. The leaves are then screened to achieve a consistent ½” minus product.

KARBON® Leaf Mulch Benefits

The purpose of using any mulch is to beautify, retain moisture and help to cool the soil during the hot summer months. Karbon® Leaf Mulch does all of this and more.

Karbon® maintains a rich brown color all season with very little fading. Its ability to absorb moisture much like a sponge reduces watering needs.

Karbon® is a perfect soil amendment as over the season it slowly breaks down and is incorporated into the soil adding organic matter and nutrients.

Karbon® significantly reduces the possibility of spot fires caused by cigarettes or other igniters.

Karbon® resists erosion as well if not better than wood mulch.

Karbon® eliminates costly spring cleanup and disposal of old mulch.

Karbon® gives you the look of top quality bark mulch at less than ½ the cost.