COMPOST MATRIX™

BEST-USE CLASSIFICATION and
QUALITY CERTIFICATION
OF COMPOST AND SOIL AMENDMENTS.

Woods End's Compost-Matrix™ is an integrated process of evaluating potential best use of compost and soil amendment products in an objective and transparent fashion.

Compost-Matrix™ is a statistical "multi-array" approach to interpreting complex analytical and plant growth data. Most laboratories are unable to infer from compost analyses what the best use pattern will be; this is because the data itself presents too many variables on which to decide. Furthermore, regulatory environmental tests that may be mandatory for composts provide no information as to expected agronomic and horticultural performance.

As an example, consider a composted product where the pH is ideal but the salinity is high and organic content very low. Does the blend qualify as seedling starter? Matrix analyses are mathematical procedures to solve these dilemmas by weighting sets of data differently based on the targeted use. In the particular case, salinity would be heavily weighted as well as bioassay plant performance, before a decision is made. Using matrix arithmetic up to 30 variables from laboratory analysis may be easily scaled and scored for a simple, meaningful result.

Compost-Matrix™ is somewhat analogous to how agronomists understand that the same soil test conducted for different soil types, climate and crops must be differently weighted and interpreted. Composts have been found to vary enormously and with inputs and management varying to a similar if not greater extent as do soil parent materials and cropping history that cause capability variations. Without proper scaling of methods and test results, the analytical data can be quite useless from a growers perspective.

The sophisticated yet simple result of Compost-Matrix™ is an accurate recommendation for a compost's best and highest use. This means, a compost gains more value by use of the matrix than before us of it, just as the correct choice of crops and management follows from proper understanding of soil type.

In conjunction with our Gardeners Choice™ program, the greatest benefit is to the grower. Whether hobby gardener, CSA manager or commercial farmer, it is the grower who desires to use compost to the best effect. A more fully characterized compost product means a more intelligent choice and a better result!

As a recognition that a compost product has met or exceed minimum standards within a use group, Woods End offers a Certificate of Quality that may be used for marketing purposes. The seal of quality is also recognized and approved by Rodale Organic Gardening.

Entering the Program.

Prerequisites for obtaining the Compost-Matrix are very simply that the compost be subjected to Woods End's complete Compost #110 test plus a bacteriologic assay.

For a modest additional fee, we will coordinate the testing to be compliant with other compost test programs (e.g. OMRI, MSC, STA). We would note that our Matrix analysis is particularly suited to aiding OMRI-listed products be properly spec'd and used within organic farming.

Please contact a Woods End representative to inform you how you may go about obtaining the proper set of test data:

For more information please call at 207 293 2457 or 800 451 0337.

For information about other soil amendment product approval programs please see our page on
TESTING PACKAGES