What Can You Do With Reencle Compost? (8 Practical Uses)

The Reencle produces compost through the same aerobic microbial process as traditional outdoor composting — just indoors, continuously, and from a broader range of food inputs. The output is real compost: dark, earthy, rich in organic matter and microbial life. Here's how to put it to work.

Table of Contents

• One Prerequisite: The 30-Day Curing Period
• 8 Ways to Use Reencle Compost
• How Much Compost Will You Get?
• What If You Don't Have a Garden?
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

One Prerequisite: The 30-Day Curing Period

Before using Reencle compost in any application, allow it to cure outdoors for 30 days after harvesting from the unit. During curing:

• The pH stabilizes (active compost is slightly acidic; curing brings it to a neutral range that plants prefer)
• Any remaining active decomposition completes
• The microbial community matures

Curing requires nothing more than keeping the harvested compost in a container outdoors — covered is fine — for 30 days. After that, it's ready for all applications below.

8 Ways to Use Reencle Compost

1. Raised Bed Soil Amendment

The most impactful use for gardeners. Mix cured Reencle compost into raised bed soil at a ratio of 20–30% compost to 70–80% existing soil or growing mix. Do this at the start of each season — spring before planting, fall after harvest.

What it does: adds organic matter, improves water retention, introduces beneficial microbial populations, and provides slow-release nutrients as the organic matter continues to break down.

Amount: a standard 4×8 raised bed (6 inches deep) benefits from 1–2 cubic feet of compost per season — roughly 4–8 harvests from the Reencle Prime depending on your usage volume.

2. In-Ground Garden Beds

Work compost into the top 4–6 inches of soil before planting, or apply as a top dressing around established plants and let it work down naturally. A 1–2 inch layer top-dressed annually maintains soil health without digging.

Particularly effective for: vegetable gardens, flower beds, perennial borders, and any area where you're regularly harvesting and want to continuously replenish organic matter.

3. Houseplant and Container Soil

Mix a small amount of cured compost into potting mix when repotting — approximately 10–20% compost, 80–90% potting mix. Too much compost in containers can affect drainage; keep the ratio modest.

Good for: any potted plant that's being repotted, or any container where you want to enrich the growing medium. Particularly beneficial for heavy feeders like tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in pots.

For smaller houseplants: a tablespoon of compost mixed into the top inch of soil when watering (called top-dressing) adds nutrients without repotting.

4. Lawn Top Dressing

Apply a thin layer (¼–½ inch) of cured compost across your lawn surface in early spring or fall. Rake lightly to work it down between the grass blades. Over a season, it improves soil structure, feeds the microbial ecosystem below the grass, and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizer.

Best results: on lawns with compacted or clay-heavy soil, where the organic matter improves drainage and aeration over time.

5. Seed-Starting Mix

For starting seeds indoors, blend cured Reencle compost with perlite or vermiculite: roughly 40% compost, 40% perlite, 20% coconut coir or peat. This produces a nutrient-rich, well-draining seed-starting medium.

Note: use only well-cured compost for seed starting — active compost can burn seedlings. Wait the full 30 days and ensure the compost smells earthy (not like active decomposition) before using with seeds.

6. Planting Hole Amendment

When transplanting trees, shrubs, or perennials, add a shovelful of compost to the bottom and sides of the planting hole before setting the plant. This gives roots a nutrient-rich zone to grow into.

Particularly useful for: fruit trees, berry bushes, and perennial plants that you want to establish quickly — the improved soil in the planting zone supports faster root development.

7. Compost Tea

Steep a cup of cured compost in a bucket of water for 24–48 hours (with an aquarium pump aerating to keep it aerobic), then use the liquid to water plants. Compost tea delivers water-soluble nutrients and beneficial microorganisms directly to plant roots.

This extends the reach of a small amount of compost — one batch of compost can produce multiple applications of liquid fertilizer.

8. Give It Away

If you generate more compost than you can use, there's always somewhere it can go:

• Community gardens typically welcome finished compost
• Neighbors with gardens
• Local urban farms or school gardens
• Compost exchange programs (available in many cities)

The compost has real value — it doesn't need to go to waste if you don't have enough garden space to use it all.

How Much Compost Will You Get?

Volume depends on how much you add and how long since the last harvest. As a general reference:

These are rough estimates — actual volume varies based on the water content of inputs (meat and wet vegetable scraps reduce more than dry bread or coffee grounds).

Compost volume is always less than input volume — the decomposition process reduces bulk significantly, which is part of what makes it concentrated.

What If You Don't Have a Garden?

Apartment users and those without outdoor space still have good options:

Potted plants: the most accessible option. Use small amounts mixed into potting soil when repotting, or as a light top-dressing. Even a modest collection of houseplants can absorb regular small compost additions.

Balcony or patio containers: tomatoes, herbs, and vegetables grow well in containers, and compost-enriched container soil produces noticeably better results than standard potting mix alone.

Give it away: community gardens and urban farms in most cities actively seek finished compost. One Reencle harvest is a meaningful contribution.

Building compost programs: some apartment buildings have shared outdoor compost areas — check with building management about dropping off finished compost.

The environmental benefit of diverting food waste from landfill exists regardless of whether you personally use the compost. But most users find that once they have compost available, they find uses for it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I use Reencle compost on edible vegetables? Yes, after the 30-day curing period. The curing period ensures that any active decomposition is complete and the compost is safe for direct contact with vegetable garden soil.

Does Reencle compost need to be mixed in, or can I apply it on top? Both work. Mixed into soil (incorporated) integrates the organic matter more quickly. Applied as a top dressing, it works down naturally over a season. Top dressing is lower effort and works well for established beds and lawns.

Is Reencle compost different from store-bought compost? In composition, it's similar — finished aerobic compost made from food waste. The difference is freshness and microbial activity: homemade compost is typically more biologically active than bagged compost that may have sat in a warehouse. The organic matter source (your household food waste) also reflects your specific inputs.

Can I use it in a worm bin as worm bedding? Yes. Partially processed or freshly harvested Reencle compost makes good worm bin additions — it provides both food and organic matter for the bedding. Use in small amounts as a supplement rather than the primary bedding.