FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

How much will a cubic yard of compost cover?

A: A cubic yard will cover one hundred eight square feet three inches deep. For other depths, measure the width (in feet) x length (in feet) x depth (in feet). You now have the volume in cubic feet. Divide that number by 27 (the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard) and you will have the quantity, in cubic yards, needed for your area. Click here for coverage chart.

 

Do I need to sterilize my compost before adding it to the soil?

A: No. The living organisms found in high quality compost help promote healthy soil and plants. Healthy soils and plants are better able to defend themselves from pathogens and other predators.

In some specific situations, i.e. commercial growing nurseries, a sterile growing medium is called for.

 

When I pick up product at the compost site, how much will my truck carry?

A. There are many factors concerning the trucking our products. The moisture content is the biggest factor in regards to the product itself. The size, age, and suspension of the vehicle are also important factors.  We urge you to know the limitations of you vehicle and not to exceed them. It is always better to make two trips than to ruin your vehicle trying to squeeze it all in on load.

 

APPROXIMATE pounds per cubic yard:
Topsoil Blend	1700
Premium Compost	975
Pecan Shell Mulch	625
Forest Floor Mulch	675
Native Mulch	475
Wood Mulch	400

 

Do you sell compost tea?

A:  Yes!  Now on Saturdays at the compost site, we brew fresh tea.  Bring your own bottle or we can bottle some for you.  Plan on using it that weekend.  Or we can tell you how to brew a reasonable facsimile at home.  There is a debate around the industry regarding compost tea.  In a nutshell, tea is and should remain alive.  When it gets bottled in an air-tight container for shipping or sale, all the aerobic micro-organisms suffocate.  Then you have a compost extract.  A fine product by itself, but not tea.

 

How do you make compost tea?

A: Easy. All you will need is a water-tight bucket, a bag of Premium Compost from Soilutions, a cloth sack, a stick, and some time.  Fill the water tight bucket about ¾ full of water. A five gallon bucket works fine. Put about one gallon of compost into the cloth sack, tie it off, and place in the bucket of water. Wait. Stir with the stick every couple of hours. Wait. Stir. After about 24 hours, remove the sack of compost from the bucket. Place it in your worm bin. What remains in the bucket is a compost tea. You can dilute it or use it straight. Use it as a foliar spray or as a soil drench. Not recommended for human consumption.

 

Do you use biosolids in your compost?

A. No. In no part of our composting process do we use biosolids (the solids extracted from the treatment of municipal wastewater, also known as sewage sludge).  Because of the potential for the spread of disease, biosolid composters are heavily monitored and regulated. The New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission (NMOCC) does not allow biosolids in its approved composts. For this reason we have not pursued the use of this particular feedstock. Biosolids are high in nitrogen and moisture but also high in salt and heavy metals. Those salts and metals do not disappear or even dissipate during the composting process, producing a compost that is high in heavy metals and salts. While compost made from sludge may be appropriate for some uses, Soilutions does not feel it is a high quality compost suitable the home gardener or organic farmer.