The easy, inexpensive way to build your soil's organic matter, protect against drought and enhance crop yields.
We deliver, we apply, you profit.
Fertilizers have long been used as a source of nutrients for crop production. However while fertilizers provide nutrition they don’t renew your soil’s organic content. This results in a harder less permeable environment for your seed. Therefore the efficiency of these costly inputs are not nearly as high as you might think. Which means a much higher cost per pound of nutrient actually available to your crop
Bouius Custom Work has the solution. Agricultural compost improves organic matter and water retention and adds vital nutrients. It’s ideal for all kinds of soils crop types and production systems. With compost one low price gets you quality compost delivered and applied
Agronomic advantages. Better soil structure, fast
Compost produces an immediate improvement in organic matter microbial activity soil porosity and moisture retention. It’s like extra rain when you need it most a natural way to replace organic matter in your soil. BOUIUS CUSTOM WORK applies compost with a special spreader for accurate application. Soil sampling and record keeping is included in the low price.
Enviromental advantages
These days sound environmental stewardship is part of every crop producer’s job description. Compost has the clear edge over traditional nutrient applications. There’s less nitrogen leaching and volatilization and reduced risk of runoff. Compost also helps to reduce erosion with the addition of extra organic matter.
Let's do the math
As a soil amendment compost improves organic matter and slowly releases a variety of valuable nutrients The effect is significant.
For example a 1% increase in organic matter potentially makes another 5 lb. to 7 lb .of existing soil nitrogen available to the crop.
In other words over the first three years of compost application you can save up to 1 000 or more per quarter section per year on input cost. And it only gets better from there. All this is yours delivered and applied. You’ll reap the nutrient benefits right away and build up organic matter in your soil for years to come
Value of Compost
Composting is the biological decomposition and stabilization of organic material The process produces heat that in turn produces a final product that is stable free of pathogens and viable plant seeds and can be beneficially applied to the land As the product stabilizes odours are reduced and pathogens eliminated
Finished compost takes on many of the characteristics of humus the organic fraction of soil The material will have been reduced in volume by 20 to 60 the moisture content by 40 and the weight by up to 50 One of the key challenges in composting is to retain as much nitrogen as possible Composting may contribute to the greenhouse effect because carbon dioxide CO2 methane NH4 and nitrous oxide NO2 will be emitted to the atmosphere during composting
Under controlled conditions composting is accomplished in two main stages an active stage and a curing stage In the active composting stage microorganisms consume oxygen O2 while feeding on organic matter in manure and produce heat carbon dioxide CO2 and water vapor During this stage most of the degradable organic matter is decomposed
Advantages of composting
The additional storage and handling requirements involved in the production of compost are offset by the advantages of compost to the farmer These advantages are as follows
- Compost supports and encourages the growth of earthworms bacteria fungi and other micro organisms and adds organic matter to the soil In this way compost improves the biological physical and chemical properties of the soil In comparison raw manure also adds organic matter but can cause a period of disruption to the soil life by creating an imbalance of nutrients
- Compost returns nitrogen phosphorous potassium calcium magnesium and the micronutrients back to the soil Amounts vary but a well prepared mature compost may most of the crops requirements
- The nutrients from mature compost are released to the plants slowly and steadily The benefits will last for more than one season
- Compost has a lower density 400 600 kg m3 compared with typical manure that may be 400 1000 kg m3 Handling is easier and fewer trips are made to the field
- Odor is reduced
- Weed seeds are reduced by a combination of factors including the heat of the compost pile rotting and premature germination Any weeds found growing on the pile should be destroyed before they go to seed
- Fly eggs are killed and plant and animal pathogens are reduced if the high heat method of composting is used to raise the temperature of the pile to 60°C
- Raw manure is one of the primary culprits for pollution of the waterways and odor from farms is considered an increasing problem in the rural areas Composting raw manure reduces these problems
Summary
Compost is a finer textured more uniform material which is easier to apply uniformly It is easier to apply in no till situations It is virtually odorless and may be free of pathogens and viable weed seeds The weight and volume is much reduced so it is more economical to haul and spread The nutrient value is largely preserved if the C N ratio is near 25 1 However the nitrogen will slowly be available and can take up to four years to fully mineralize As the technology of composting becomes more widely known it will likely see increased use
Sources used: Alberta Ag Roping the Web