Kitchen Compost as a Mulch

Description

Composting is a common method to repurpose organic waste into a useful soil amendment, but for many, traditional composting methods require too much space, time, and management to practice. Kitchen composters such as the Reencle Home Composter provide an accessible way for people to compost at home without those limitations

Early research has demonstrated that the Reencle byproduct is an effective soil amendment when mixed with soil and allowed to cure for a minimum of 3 weeks. Our project is seeking to determine if the compost produced by kitchen composters could be an effective mulch without the need of curing. We are evaluating how well it retains moisture, suppresses weeds, and supports plant growth. Our goal is to see how effective kitchen compost is as a sustainable mulch alternative.

Objectives

1. Compare weed suppression to other common mulches
2. Compare moisture retention to other mulches
3. Compare plant growth to other mulch treatments