I recently did some planting and used an entire bag of 15L compost that cost me ten bucks. I headed to the store for more and bought two 8L bags, which also set me back another tenner. It just feels like compost doesn't go far at all for the price! Can anyone explain why it's so expensive these days?
3 Answers
The demand for compost is super high since it enriches soil and supports plant growth. While it's straightforward to make at home, the process demands a lot of material, and the end product is much smaller than what you start with. It’s all about balancing inputs versus outputs!
Gardening's gotten way pricier lately, mainly due to inflation and the surge of new gardeners since the pandemic kicked off. Ever since 2020, people have been rushing to start their own gardens, leading to shortages in plants and materials. I saw lines wrapping around local nurseries during peak seasons, like on Mother's Day. Somehow, even with the steep prices, folks are still keen to buy it all up!
It actually requires a considerable amount of resources to get compost ready for sale, from production to packaging and transport. For instance, that $10 bag basically reflects about 30 minutes of combined labor from everyone involved, from the production line to retail employees. It's a chain of effort you might not always see.