Where To Buy Compost - Tips For Finding The Good Stuff

There are a few important things you need to know about where to buy compost.

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When possible, I encourage people to make their own compost, but I understand, sometimes it’s just easier to buy your compost.

So in this article, I’ll discuss the main types of compost and then I’ll share a whole list of tips for how to buy compost.

So let’s get into it…

Regular compost Worm compost

Main Types of Compost

• “Regular” compost. Sometimes called thermo-compost or aerobic compost but mostly just called “compost,” it’s made with a diversity of ingredients mixed together in piles or long windrows. Those ingredients are broken down primarily by microorganisms.
• Worm compost (vermicompost). Similar to the above, but it’s worms that break down the ingredients (along with the bacteria inside their digestive systems). Neither regular or worm compost is inherently better than the other. They each can have their own slight advantages but much more important is the quality and diversity of materials being used and the quality of the whole process. In theory, it could be optimal to use a combination of both and I say go for it if you have the chance, but you’ll get most of the way there from just one good compost.
• Composted manure. As for quality, it depends entirely on what’s in it. If it were just animal poo that was left to compost on its own, it probably wouldn’t be particularly nutritious or biologically diverse, but if it’s mixed with straw and other materials, it becomes more and more like regular compost.
• Mushroom compost. It’s generally not great. Yes, it is organic matter, but 1) It’s probably been sterilized, killing the microorganisms, 2) The mushrooms that were grown on it took out a lot of the nutrients, and 3) If they were non-organic mushrooms, it may contain a fair amount of pesticide residue.

Basic Compost Buying Tips

Bagged compost Bulk compost

• You can buy compost in bags, and that’s fine for a small garden or for container gardening, but I almost always go for bulk compost because it’s much less expensive and I usually want to bring in at least a cubic yard (3ft x 3ft x 3ft), which is 765 liters of compost – that would be a lot of bags!
• When buying compost, it should

  smell good

  , not like garbage. If it smells like ammonia, it’s not done.
• I shouldn’t have to say it, but it should

  not contain garbage

  . I once received a load of 15 yards of compost that was full of pieces of plastic, produced by a recycling company. I got my money back.
• When searching for where to buy compost, it should look and feel like

  dark, moist, fluffy

  soil. You may see some wood fragments in there but if you can still make out a lot of the raw materials, it’s not done. That stuff may work well as a mulch but it’s probably not a great compost.
• For the most part, we want our purchased compost to be 100% compost –

  not mixed with soil

  . There are cases when you may want to bring in compost + soil, like if you’re building a raised bed or changing the soil grade, but for the most part, you probably want only compost.

Advanced Compost Buying Tips

When I say “advanced,” what I really mean is that these steps take more effort and I understand most people won’t want to devote the time, but if you’re growing a lot of food, for example, it’s well worth it.

• Find out what they’re using for raw materials:
  • You want some combination of leaves, grass clippings, plant trimmings, food scraps and manure.
  • Ideally, you’d want these raw materials to be organic or at least pesticide-free but that can be impossible to find (one reason why making your own compost is even better). So yes, unless you manage to buy compost from an organic farmer, you’ll probably have to live with a bit of pesticide residue from the grass clippings, leaves and plant trimmings. A lot of that should be broken down by a good compost pile and the small amount that is left over should eventually be broken down in the soil.
  • Preferably, you don’t want peat moss. It just doesn’t add much value and we need to leave peat blogs alone.
  • You don’t want toxic waste, industrial sewage sludge (aka biosolids) or “inert” ingredients.
  • You also don’t want tree bark to be the main ingredient because it’s not particularly nutritious and it contains compounds that can inhibit plant growth.
• Ask for test results. A chemical analysis will give you element levels (e.g. nitrogen, calcium) and a biological analysis will give you microbial levels (e.g. bacteria, fungi). Most compost producers won’t have this info, and even if they do, the truth is that the results probably vary quite dramatically with each batch of compost they make, but here’s the point: if you can find someone who will give this to you, it shows that they really care about making good compost and they care about showing this to you.
• Test it out yourself. If you have a few compost options, bring home a little of each and do some tests in containers or trays. To be most accurate, you’ll want to mix each compost option with the growing medium you’ll actually be using, like your garden soil. I won’t go into detail on this here but hopefully you understand what I’m proposing.

Where To Buy Compost

I can’t keep tabs on the thousands of independent compost producers around the U.S. and Canada, not to mention the rest of the world, so I can’t create a list of local composts.

But here are some basic tips:

• Garden centers. They often have compost in bulk and almost always have it in bags. For the bulk, they may allow you to bag your own for a good price, or they’ll deliver by the cubic yard.
• Topsoil/mulch suppliers. You may also find businesses in your area that just focus on selling topsoil, mulch, and compost in bulk.
• Big box stores (e.g. Home Depot, Lowes). They don’t usually have bulk compost but they will have bags. The prices are good but the compost generally isn’t.
• Craigslist (or similar, e.g. Kijiji in Canada). You may find compost here. I’ve also found composted horse manure (side note: I’ve also found straw bales that I used as mulch). If you don’t see any ads, you could post your own ad requesting horse manure. You may find horse manure that’s already been composted, but it’s also likely you’ll need to compost it yourself for a few months. Horse manure often comes already mixed with straw, so it’s basically ready to be composted as is.
• Amazon. You can buy bags of compost on Amazon. Again, bagged compost is expensive, but if you have a tiny garden or are growing in containers, it could be an option:
  • For “regular” compost, there’s Charlie’s Compost at $18 for 10lbs. The ingredients are “chicken manure, corn stalks, straw, forest products, hay, clay, and beneficial microbe inoculants” and it’s “Certified Organic by the state of Kentucky.” I actually emailed them and they promptly sent me their Soil FoodWeb test results, which were impressive.
  • For worm compost, I found Wiggle Worm Worm Compost ($31 for 30lbs) and VermisTerra Earthworm Castings ($20 for 10lbs). Both are certified organic and look good.
• Peaceful Valley.
  • They have certified organic bagged compost for a relatively good price at $7 for 40 lbs (1 cubic foot) and they also sell it in bulk at the ridiculously high price of $259 for 2 cubic yards. They have a note that’s disconcerting, “this green waste compost may still contain small amounts of non-organic foreign objects (glass, metal, plastic, wood, etc),” but the label just says “composted yard trimmings” so I don’t think they’re actually composting construction waste (some companies do this – I’ve seen it).

Compost Pricing

First of all, pricing varies dramatically.

For bags of compost, you could pay anywhere between $0.30 and $20+ per 10lbs (0.2 cubic feet).

For bulk compost, you could pay $10-150+ per cubic yard (27 cubic feet).

But even with these wide ranges, if you do the math, buying compost by the cubic yard is waaaaay less expensive than buying it in bags.

For example, let’s say the average is $10 for 30 lbs of bagged compost (0.6 cubic feet) and $40 for 1 cubic yard of bulk compost (27 cubic feet). That’s about 45 times as much compost for just 4 times the price, i.e. 10X less expensive (you do still need to get the bulk compost to your home, but it’s still a big difference).

So as I’ve said, I go for bulk. And I don’t tend to go for the most expensive stuff because I’ve seen too many examples of it being not only average but inferior.

For example, when I lived out west, there was a product made with a lot of bark that sold for $75/yard and caused problems on a couple of my friends’ gardens.

I’ve usually been able to find something decent for $30-$40/yard in the places where I’ve lived.

Here’s an article where I show you how to use compost in your garden.

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Learn the EASY way to freeze mushrooms in a few easy steps.  Buy mushrooms on sale, freeze them raw and enjoy them whenever you like (and even if your spouse doesn’t like them!).

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For a long time, Laurier didn’t like mushrooms.  I LOVE mushrooms.  This was a tough time for me, and it took a bit of a toll on our relationship (the one I have with mushrooms – haha).

I would buy a package, only to lose half of it in the back of the fridge and find it once the mushrooms were covered in slime.

Other times, I would pile the entire package on my personal pizza just to avoid wasting them.  

Related –> How to Make Homemade Freezer Pizzas

Finally, out of desperation, I had to experiment:  Can mushrooms be frozen?

Yes, and it’s easy!

This is a great way to buy mushrooms when they’re on super sale and eat them whenever you want them.  

And it’s simple.  And I ❤ simple.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of can u freeze raw mushrooms. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Have extra mushrooms to use up? Try these recipes:

Related: Can you freeze tortillas? YES! Here’s how!

How to Freeze Mushrooms – the Super Easy Way

1. Buy mushrooms

Buy mushrooms, preferably when they’re on sale for a great price!

Tip: This is a GREAT way to stock your freezer with produce while saving money on groceries!

2. Clean mushrooms

Follow these tips for best results:

Brush your mushrooms off with a paper towel or something like this little cutie to remove any dirt. Use only fresh mushrooms that aren’t slimy or mushy.

Tip: DO NOT WASH YOUR MUSHROOMS. This will make them much more slimy.

3. Slice mushrooms

Trim the very end of the mushroom stem off. Slice mushrooms.

You don’t have to be overly picky about the slicing. I just roughly slice.

4. Freeze

Place them on a large cookie sheet and freeze.

Tip: I have two extra large sheet pans similar to this one and I love how much more I can fit on them compared to a cookie sheet!

Tip: Although this is a tiny bit more work than just throwing them into a freezer bag, I like to flash freeze them like this because I love to be able to grab a handful of mushrooms – or any other amount I want to thaw.

5. Transfer to freezer bag

Once the mushrooms are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. Store in your freezer.

Bonus points if you use these amazing bags! I really want to make the switch!

Now that they are individually frozen, you can take out as many as you want

6. Use your frozen mushrooms

Measure out the mushrooms you need for your recipe. If you are cooking with them you can thaw them for a few minutes on the counter while you prep your other ingredients, or microwave them for a minute or two to defrost.

Tip: I don’t recommend using these for a salad or any raw recipes, but if you are going to fry, sauté or bake them they’ll work perfectly!

(In the photo above I’m using frozen sliced mushrooms to make our Sriracha Ranch One Pot Pasta and they worked perfectly!)

Voila!  Mushrooms only ever bought on sale and not a slimy one to be found!

FAQ & Expert Tips About Freezing Mushrooms

Can I freeze fresh or raw mushrooms?

Yes! This is the main way I freeze mushrooms, which is outlined below. I have not had any problems with this, and it’s just SO much easier than any other way!

Will mushrooms be slimy or mushy when they thaw?

No.  I don’t find them slimy at all.  They do have a slightly softer texture than when they are raw.

They will have to be cooked, however.  I would not recommend trying this if you hope to eat them uncooked.  But once you cook them you will never know the difference.

Can I freeze cooked mushrooms?

Yes! This is what I used to do before I had kids (when I had more time, haha). Buy mushrooms, slice and sauté with a little butter and olive oil (I like the combo) and some salt and pepper, then freeze smaller packages to pull out and use quickly when cooking.

How do I thaw frozen mushrooms?

If you follow the method I outlined below, you can just pull out a handful from the bag of frozen mushrooms.

If I’m thinking ahead I’ll leave them at room temperature on a plate for a few minutes while I prep other parts of the meal.

If not, you can cook them right from frozen by sautéing them in a little oil or butter (there will be more water to evaporate this way though).

In a pinch, pop them in the microwave to thaw!

What can I cook with frozen mushrooms?

I use frozen mushrooms in almost any recipe that’s not raw (like a salad). Thaw the mushrooms slightly (see above).

Then you can chop them smaller with you want, or just use them in your recipe as-is.

If you are sautéing them you can add them directly to a little bit of oil in a hot pan or pot.

You can use them in an oven-baked dish like a casserole, or on a pizza as is – although you may prefer the flavour and texture of sautéing them first (similar to fresh mushrooms).

Will the frozen mushrooms produce more liquid when I cook them?

Yes, I do find that the mushrooms will produce slightly more liquid when you cook them than fresh mushrooms, due to their high water content. Allow an extra few minutes to sauté or roast them so the liquid can evaporate.

How long can I store frozen mushrooms for?

Most frozen produce is best used within six months, but I have found older bags of mushrooms in my freezer (probably about a year old) and they were still fine!

You might also like:

What’s your favorite ingredient to freeze?  What do you wish you could freeze? 

This post was originally published on March 31, 2017 and was updated April 17, 2020.

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