mix it in, water it well # How to use it Mix it in, water well, and let the soil do the rest. Here is how much to use for every kind of plant. _Illustration: At a potting bench an earthworm points up at a terracotta pot while a scoop tips castings into it, a trowel mixes them into the top and a watering can waters them in_ ## How much do you need? Tell us what you are feeding and we will work out the amount and the packs to order. How many square metres? Units 0.5 to 1 kg per square metre (0.1 to 0.2 lb per sq ft), mixed into the top 10 cm. At planting, then topped up every season. A general guide: adjust it with a soil test where you can. 8 heaps, about 1 kg each You will need about 7.5 kg 17 lb Suggested packs - 1 × Balcony bag (5 kg) - 3 × Starter pouch (1 kg) ## How much, how often A general guide. Plants in poor soil can take a little more. - _Illustration: A scoop tipping castings into a terracotta pot_ Potted plants How much 100 to 200 g (1 to 2 handfuls) per 6 to 8 inch pot, or 10 to 20% of the potting mix by volume How often Every 30 to 45 days - _Illustration: Castings sprinkled onto a window box planter_ Terrace and kitchen gardens How much 0.5 to 1 kg per square metre (0.1 to 0.2 lb per sq ft), mixed into the top 10 cm How often At planting, then topped up every season - _Illustration: A rake over a strip of lawn_ Lawns How much 0.5 kg per square metre, spread thin and watered in How often Every 3 to 4 months - _Illustration: A seed tray of seedlings at different stages_ Seedlings and nursery bags How much 10 to 20% by volume: 1 part vermicompost to 4 to 9 parts soil or cocopeat How often When filling trays and bags - _Illustration: A tree with its roots below ground and castings spread around its drip line_ Fruit trees How much 2 to 5 kg per young tree, 5 to 10 kg per mature tree, spread around the drip line How often At the start and end of the growing season - _Illustration: Wheat standing in rows on a furrowed field_ Field crops How much 0.5 to 1 tonne per acre for cereals and pulses, up to 2 tonnes per acre for vegetables (1.2 to 5 tonnes per hectare) How often At land preparation, every season __How much vermicompost to use__ | For | How much | How often | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | _Illustration: A scoop tipping castings into a terracotta pot_Potted plants | 100 to 200 g (1 to 2 handfuls) per 6 to 8 inch pot, or 10 to 20% of the potting mix by volume | Every 30 to 45 days | | _Illustration: Castings sprinkled onto a window box planter_Terrace and kitchen gardens | 0.5 to 1 kg per square metre (0.1 to 0.2 lb per sq ft), mixed into the top 10 cm | At planting, then topped up every season | | _Illustration: A rake over a strip of lawn_Lawns | 0.5 kg per square metre, spread thin and watered in | Every 3 to 4 months | | _Illustration: A seed tray of seedlings at different stages_Seedlings and nursery bags | 10 to 20% by volume: 1 part vermicompost to 4 to 9 parts soil or cocopeat | When filling trays and bags | | _Illustration: A tree with its roots below ground and castings spread around its drip line_Fruit trees | 2 to 5 kg per young tree, 5 to 10 kg per mature tree, spread around the drip line | At the start and end of the growing season | | _Illustration: Wheat standing in rows on a furrowed field_Field crops | 0.5 to 1 tonne per acre for cereals and pulses, up to 2 tonnes per acre for vegetables (1.2 to 5 tonnes per hectare) | At land preparation, every season | _Illustration: A terracotta pot with a plant on a potting bench, a can, a scoop and a trowel resting beside it; the scoop tips castings in, the trowel mixes them into the top and the can waters, one at a time, and a wall calendar marks the monthly feed_ ## Three habits that help - Mix it into the top few centimetres of soil instead of leaving it on the surface. - Water after feeding, so the nutrients and microbes move down to the roots. - Feed little and often. Small monthly doses beat one big dose a year. - _Illustration: A hard sun over a terracotta pot cut open to show its mix: a scoop dips into the opening and tips castings onto the top, a dark layer of castings spreads over the mix and water drops stay held in the soil below_ ### Before the hot season Feed pots ahead of summer so soil holds water through the heat. - _Illustration: Rain falls from a cloud onto a raised garden bed with three seedlings and a puddle forms at its foot; when the rain stops a scoop tips fresh castings into the bed_ ### After heavy rain Rain washes nutrients out of the soil, so top up after a wet spell. - _Illustration: Repotting: a scoop dips into a large new pot cut open to show its mix and tips a handful of castings onto it, and a seedling with its roots is lifted out of a small pot and set into the new one_ ### At every repotting Add a handful to the new mix to settle roots quickly. ## Pick the right pack Most balcony gardens need about 5 kg a year. [Get a quote](https://thecomposta.com/shop) _Illustration: A size ladder on a terrace floor: a small pouch beside a terracotta pot, a window box, and a raised garden bed with a sack beside it_ --- Source: https://thecomposta.com/how-to-use The Composta is a brand of Nutrify Private Limited, 1st Floor, Plot No. B & B1, Vanijya Nikunj, Enkay Centre, Udyog Vihar Phase 5, Gurugram, Haryana 122016, India. Contact: contact@thecomposta.com, +91 90535 19734 (also WhatsApp). Quotes: sales@thecomposta.com. Importers and bulk buyers: export@thecomposta.com. More for agents: https://thecomposta.com/llms.txt