Crops: Urban compost shows promising results for crop yields

The material from the Orgaworld plant in London has twice the organic material of mushroom compost, but the downside is that the salt content is high

by MIKE MULHERN

Some London area farmers are turning to composted kitchen and yard waste to replace organic matter in their fields.

Dorchester area farmer John Killins and his partner Travis Woolings distribute composted material produced at the London-based Orgaworld plant and they also use it on their fields.

Killins, who farms 1,200 acres, tried the material – a “soil amendment” with the brand name Orgapower – on his 2009 corn crop, which led to a 15 per cent increase in yield and a better grade of corn.

Better Farming - April 2010