Top 7 Best Bagged Compost Reviews (BUYING GUIDE 2024)
A little while ago, I set out to create a vegetable garden for food purposes and a stunning flower garden for eternal pleasure. However, much as any gardener or farmer can attest, many considerations go into planting and taking care of your garden.
Besides having the garden, the resources, and the dream, a crucial element was missing, which was compost. With the help of a few garden experts and advice from authority figures, I came across and tried some of the best and worst bagged compost in the market.
With all the endless options available, I had to implement the best possible criteria for choosing the best bagged compost. Each brand offered different unique features and benefits from the other. Additionally, different compost brands price their products differently.
Unfortunately, when purchasing items, one of the misconceptions is that the more expensive an item is, the more likely it is the best quality. While there may be some truth to this since I came across some of the best bagged compost at relatively higher prices, I also came across overvalued, below-average compost.
Having tried and tested several options, I came across the best bagged compost that come highly recommended. Check out this buyer’s guide for the top 10 best bagged compost you should try out for your farming needs.
What Are The Different Types Of Composting?
Ideally, there are 5 common types of compost: peat-based, peat-free, loam-based, organic, and multi-purpose compost.
So Let’s get started explanation one by one.
1. Peat-based compost.
As a gardener, you have access to a wide selection of peat-based compost formulations. Peat-based compost is made from a peat base blended with different ingredients like fertilizer, lime, wetting agent, perlite or vermiculite, and sand/grit.
The exact use of the compost will determine the formulation
2. Peat-free compost.
These can be made from various base ingredients like coir, green compost, composted bark, and wood fiber. Ingredients are then added to either of these bases depending on the intended use of the compost
3. Loam-based compost.
The Joh Innes compost uses soil as its base. It is made from a mixture of grit/sand, loam, and peat with a high amount of added plant foods
4. Organic compost.
Organic compost contains a mix of several materials like composted barks, peat, and expanded wood fibers in different proportions. Organic composts are enriched with naturally appearing nutrients gotten from animals and plants
5. Multi-purpose compost.
It can be used in several applications, whether in pots, containers, hanging baskets, or beds and borders. Multi-purpose compost comes in various blends of ingredients to fulfill different purposes.
For instance, some multi-purpose composts will limit the amount of watering you will do by absorbing water and releasing it when applicable.
Some contain different plant foods that feed plants anywhere from 6 to 24 weeks.
How Do I Choose The Right Compost?
1. Is It Organic?
Organic is often the way to go for most farmers and gardeners. Healthy natural products have many benefits, unlike products with artificial or chemical composition. As such, you want to be sure you are purchasing bagged compost with organic origin or composition.
Typical healthy natural ingredients include poultry manure, old herbs, food waste, peat moss, plant trimmings, grass clippings, and leaves. You want to ensure your bagged compost has any ingredient that naturally falls on the ground and becomes or produces nutrients. Besides being organic, ensure the compost is pesticide-free.
2. Approved Compost
What are the compost’s analysis results? One of the best ways to check for the best bagged compost is to request the test results of the current batch. Such are the results of the chemical and biological analysis for microbial and element levels.
Unfortunately, many compost suppliers in the compost industry have actively avoided the necessary and legal registration of their products within their respective states. As such, before purchasing bagged compost, ensure it is regulated and approved by the relevant authorities.
The Association of American Plant Food Control Officials regulates the sale of liming agents, soil amendments, fertilizers, and other related products. Check with the supplier to ensure you are buying an approved and licensed product.
3. Mineral Sourced
If you are purchasing non-organic compost, ensure you know which minerals are used in its making. One of the key factors I took into consideration was the NPK ratio. Improper phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium application can lead to toxicity or even dissipation. Ensure you apply compost according to your soil’s general properties.
4. Large Bag
The size of the compost bag matters, depending on the size of the farm or garden. Therefore, one of the most important things you ought to do is estimate your farm’s size and find its proportionality to the best compost bag. The bigger your garden, the bigger the compost bag you will need.
5. The scent of the Compost
Smelling the compost is one way to detect its maturity. The best compost should smell natural and earthy, which is also an added factor in determining its organic level.
6. Filler Ingredients
Some composts have additions for one reason or the other. However, for effectiveness, you want the bagged compost to be 100% compost. Unfortunately, compost products filled with sand or soil are not desirable for your wallet and your plants.
7. Moisture, Color, and Texture
The ideal moisture content for compost is the same as the garden soil. Extremely higher or lower moisture levels can affect your compost’s effectiveness, making it virtually impossible to use.
Additionally, it is important to note that fully finished composed typically has a dark brown color. It should also have a fine, fluffy texture. You can still see and feel the original color and texture of the compost if it is not broken down fully.
Our Top 7 Best Bagged Compost Reviews
The above factors and buyer’s guide should help you make the right choice when shopping for compost.
However, from my experience, below are the top 10 best bagged compost I have interacted with and can vouch for. It is important to note that each carries its unique features and benefits.
Check them out below.
01. Charlie’s Compost 10lb –Best Overall
Why It is A Favorite
Right from the start, I would like to mention that this is my favorite bagged compost. While it is a favorite for many gardeners, seeing that it has a 4.6 out of 5 stars rating on Amazon based on over 1,500 users’ reviews, I found it particularly interesting for other factors.
I find it highly commendable due to its balancing NPK ratio, delicate texture, and non-antibiotic formula. Surprisingly, it lacks any discerning odor despite it being made from chicken manure.
Moreover, everything in this is organic since the manufacturer composts products locally in windrows from corn stalks, chicken manure, important microbe inoculants, clay, hay, forest products, and straw.
My Experience with It
The texture was fluffy and as expected in my hands. As you may have guessed, I whiffed a handful in my hand to test its authenticity. It was fresh, earthy, and clearly no sign of chicken, except on the product packaging.
As recommended, I used the compost