Dr. K’s Compost and Mulch Tips

Check in here for seasonal and general recommendations on how to better manage your soil and landscape with our compost, mulch, and specialty soils. Healthy soil is the key to a beautiful, thriving landscape and a successful crop harvest. Our goal is to help you in your quest to attain that.

Use California Native Mulch^® to create a compost blanket!

Special Bonus Tips For Giveaway Product Use!

Did you know that you can use the California Native Mulch^® for more than just mulching your orchard or landscape? Those of you that picked up some mulch at our FPGS event in December have the perfect material for creating an extremely effective erosion control best management practice.

You can create a Compost Erosion Control Blanket (CECB) for use on slopes/hillsides where the blend of this coarse and fine compost is ideal for holding soil in place when heavy rainfall and run-off can become a major problem. It is also great for supporting vegetative growth. A layer of compost mulch (i.e. CECB 1-2” in depth on sloped areas) when combined with a grass seed, is particularly effective at anchoring soil in place, mimicking Nature in how to best conserve valuable topsoil through intimate contact with the underlying native soil. For complete instructions and tips, open the pdfs below from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Let us know if you have any questions.

Compost Erosion Control Blanket on slope with Compost Filter Sock at Crown | SPVSoils — Compost Erosion Control Blanket on slope with Compost Filter Sock at Crown

Soil Contact with Fine Compost | SPVSoils — Soil Contact with Fine Compost

Vegetated Compost Erosion Control Blanket | SPVSoils — Vegetated Compost Erosion Control Blanket

USDA’s Compost Blankets for Run-off and Erosion Control

US EPA’s Stormwater Best Management Practice

We enjoy seeing everyone at our Giveaways! You can support our Free Product Giveaways by sharing pictures and liking us on Facebook, Instagram, and Google Business. Also, feel free to email us and send pictures you would like to share to grow@spvsoils.com.

Anytime is the perfect time to mulch!

No matter what time of year it is, adding mulch to your garden is a good thing! During warmer months, insulate plant roots from the heat and help retain valuable water at the same time. During cooler months, use mulch to insulate plant roots from cold weather and to help manage erosion during winter storms. We have many different types of mulch to choose from for different applications and aesthetics. No matter which one you choose, mulch will give your landscape a clean and polished look while providing many awesome benefits for your plants and soil. Not sure what you need for your garden? Ask us!

“Mulch: A protective covering spread or left on the ground to reduce evaporation, maintain even soil temperature, prevent erosion, control weeds, and enrich the soil.“

— Merriam-Webster

Fire-proofing Your Property with Composted Mulch

Dr. K was recently featured in a Ramona Sentinel article for providing guidance and tips to the Ramona Garden Club on choosing the best garden materials for fire protection at their August 8th meeting. During his presentation, he emphasized that selecting the least combustible landscape materials is the key to protecting your landscape from fire threats. Our composted mulch is a great choice for this application. For more information and tips on fire-proofing your landscape with our composted mulch, check out Dr. K’s blog post. He also suggests that you read the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s, “The Combustibility of Landscape Mulches Publication”.

“Compost is the product manufactured through the controlled aerobic, biological decomposition of biodegradable materials. The product has undergone mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures, which significantly reduces the viability of pathogens and weed seeds (in accordance with EPA 40 CFR 503 standards) and stabilizes the carbon such that it is beneficial to plant growth. Compost is typically used as a soil amendment, but may also contribute plant nutrients. (AAPFCO definition, official 2018) Finished compost is typically screened to reduce its particle size, to improve soil incorporation.”

— US Composting Council

Compost Blanket Solutions to Combat Problem Areas During Rainy Season

Check out Dr. K’s Tips to help you with problem areas during the rainy season in his Compost Blanket Workshop video and the US EPA’s Compost Blanket Publication!