What's the Difference between Compost, Soil Mix and Mulch?

Compost

Compost is made from decomposed or rotted animal or plant remains. It's usually made from what we normally considered to be waste products. It's a way of recycling. Waste products that are chemically safe and that will decompose are added to a "compost pile", or some sort of composting equipment, where these recycled materials can be decomposed by microorganisms.

Composting is the ultimate in recycling

These microorganisms need air, water and warmth to work. If compost is sanitized so that it safe for human use, the compost temperatures rise to about 165° F before it's turned. Turning compost speeds the decomposition up and cools the compost down.

A Windrow Turner turns the compost and a nice pile, aerating it and adding moisture as it's turning it. A compost thermometer is used to judge the timing for turning it. When it hits that critical temperature of 165° F, the compost must be turned.

Turning also adds air to the compost. Water is added to the compost, not too much, just to keep it moist. Microorganisms feed on these wastes breaking them down more and the temperature goes up again. It's turned again so it is aerated and moisture is added.

A compost thermometer reaches into the center of the compost pile and measures its temperature. When that temperature reaches 165° F, it's time to turn it. This kind of heat destroys pathogenic microorganisms while turning it redistributes microorganisms back into the compost pile again.

When the composting is near completion, temperatures to not get as hot as they do did before even when it's turned. Microorganisms have decomposed as much as they can decompose and now they are dying off. When the temperature reaches about 115° F, the compost can be sold and used.

A good compost should be dark brown or black, look consistent throughout the compost pile and have no funny smells like rotten eggs.

Soil Mix

A Viragrow Soil Mix uses compost and mixes it with soil or a soil component such as sand so that it can be used as a ready-made soil for growing vegetables, planting fruit trees, planting landscape plants, flowers and many other plants important to a landscape. Viragrow does not use reject sand. We consider it to be an inferior sand for landscaping. 

The simplest soil mix is Viragrow Garden Soil which is compost mixed with viragrow sand. Viragrow Garden Soil is a ready-made soil mix for planting all sorts of gardening plants. 

Tomato Lady Soil Mix is a soil mix as well but it has all sorts of organic amendments mixed with it. 

Rejuvenate soil mix

Rejuvenate Soil Mix is Viragrow's "vegan" soil mix and contains no animal products.

Mulch

Mulch is applied to the surface of the soil to prevent weed growth, conserve soil moisture, improve the soil and beautify the landscape. Viragrow mulches are made from natural forest products. They include redwood, sequoia and pine. Some of Viragrow's mulches are below. Call 702-399-3868 and ask us about our other mulches.