Finished Compost
Compost Blends That Work as Hard as You Do
Improving Soil by Reducing Food Waste
At Partridge Creek Compost, we produce two types of finished compost, both packed with nutrients and teeming with beneficial microbes: Vermicompost and Thermal Compost. Each compost type is crafted with care, tested for quality, and ready to help your plants thrive –whether you’re growing food, flowers, or a lush backyard lawn.
All of our compost is made locally in Ishpeming, Michigan using responsibly sourced, diverted organic materials. We screen and cure every batch to ensure a clean, stable, and nutrient-rich product that’s safe for your soil and our environment.
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Which Kind of Compost is Best for My Garden?
Scroll down or click products for more details! To learn how to retrieve compost purchased online, jump to "How To Get Compost"
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Not sure which compost is best for your situation? We're happy to help! Reach out to our team and we’ll talk through your goals and help match you with the compost that fits your needs. Whether you’re growing a single tomato or an entire market garden, we’ve got the soil support to get you there. 906-422-0012 or sales@partridgecreekcompost.org
Vermicompost Facts
Balanced Nutrient Profile
Our vermicompost is made from carefully balanced inputs to ensure a nutrient-rich blend that promotes plant health, without the risk of root burning or nutrient over-saturation.
Beneficial Biology
Vermicompost is our premium worm-powered compost. It’s made by feeding food scraps, manure, and woody material to a thriving population of red wiggler worms. What comes out the other end is black gold: rich in enzymes, microbial life, and plant-available nutrients.
pH Neutral Superpowered Compost
Because it’s so concentrated, a little goes a long way. Use it to supercharge your soil, top-dress potted plants, or kickstart new seedlings with a microbially rich boost.
Sustainably Created
We repurpose food scraps and other organic materials that would otherwise end up in landfills, transforming them into a valuable resource. This is what zero waste is all about.
More about Vermicompost
Vermicompost stays at a low temperature for most of its process. This leads to more nutrients and beneficial biology being present in the finished product. However, this also means that last seasons tomato and pumpkin seeds might make it through the process unscathed and lead to volunteer plants sprouting from the finished compost. For this reason, we recommend this product for situations that are closely monitored, or where a surprise butternut squash would be a welcome addition. Pathogens in vermicompost are addressed by time, rather than by heat. Our vermicompost is left to cure for a full year before being made available for purchase. This ensures that no harmful pathogens are present in the product by the time it is applied to gardens. •Great for: Container gardens, raised beds, houseplants, seed starting, or any high-value growing space •Price: $300/yard or $15/bag (before curbside or bulk discounts) •Sold by: Bag, bulk, or self-filled bucket
Curious about our vermicompost test results?
Want to learn more about our composting process?
Check out our blog post giving insight to the magic making here.
Thermal (hot) Compost Facts
Thermal Compost is made through a controlled high-temperature process that reaches 131–160°F, carefully monitored to kill off weed seeds and pathogens while preserving organic matter. Unlike Vermicompost, it doesn’t involve worms, but it’s still a nutrient-rich soil building amendment that boosts production and supports our local food economy. This product is made from diverted food scraps and wood chips. Thermal compost spends a minimum of 15 consecutive days above 131°F - long enough and hot enough to neutralize any unwanted seeds and ensure a safe product for you and your garden.
This compost is ideal for larger garden applications, soil restoration, and landscaping projects where you want to improve soil structure, boost moisture retention, and feed your plants naturally. It has a rich, earthy smell and dark brown, crumbly texture.
• Great for: Large-format garden beds, commodity crops, lawns, trees, shrubs, and general soil building
• Price: $120/yard (before curbside or bulk discounts)
• Sold by: Bulk only (0.5 cubic yards or larger)
Curious about our thermal compost test results?
Want to learn more about our composting process?
Check out our blog post giving insight to the magic making here.
How To Get Compost
Come Visit!
Pick up compost ordered on line at our Ishpeming Facility!
For curbside and bulk quantity discounts, orders must be placed directly through PCC rather than our partner stores.
Pickups available by appointment (906.422.0012 ext. 2) or on Mondays from 4pm-6-pm and Wednesdays from 3pm-6pm. In case of heavy rain, please call to ensure there is staff present.
Lakeshore Depot is a Marquette-based hybrid grocery store and farmers market offering local, organic produce from Michigan and the Mid-West. They make every effort to support farmers and local producers, and have an excellent selection of local goods, wonderful customer service, and fair prices.
If you are looking for compost here, take an extra moment to stock up on fresh produce and locally made goods.
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Please note: Our bagged vermicompost is available for purchase at Lakeshore Depot, but compost ordered online must be picked up directly from Partridge Creek Compost. For curbside and bulk discounts, compost must also be purchased directly through PCC.
Compost FAQs and Usage Guide
How much compost do I need?
A general rule of thumb for established gardens is:
• 1–2 inches of compost spread across garden beds
• For a 100 sq ft garden, that’s about 0.6 cubic yards for a 2” layer
For badly damaged or neglected soils, a thicker layer is suggested. For well-managed gardens that just need a small start-of-season boost, a 0.5-1” top dress will boost nutrients and beneficial biology of the existing subsoil.
Is there anything else I need to do other than to add compost?
PCC recommends adding compost products directly to existing soil, then covering the exposed compost with wood chips, straw, or other mulching material. This ensures the nutrients from the compost go into the soil rather than getting cooked into the air by the sun. Mulching also aids in water retention, limits unwanted weeds, and supplies an ongoing source of fuel (carbon) for the beneficial soil microbiology.
What’s the difference between Vermicompost and Thermal Compost?
Both are high-quality soil amendments, but they serve slightly different purposes:
• Thermal Compost is more affordable and is great for larger applications, soil restoration, and building organic matter in thin/damaged soil.
• Vermicompost is nutrient-dense and microbially rich—perfect for starting seeds, houseplants, and garden boosts.
Can I mix the two?
Absolutely! Blending a small amount of Vermicompost into a larger batch of Thermal Compost gives you the best of both worlds—bulk material with a potent microbial boost. Both blends increase water retention and improve soil structure.
Is your compost safe for vegetable gardens?
Yes! Both compost types are safe and intended for food production. Our Thermal Compost goes through a high-heat process that eliminates pathogens and weed seeds. Vermicompost is cured for a full year to ensure biological safety and stability.
Will weeds grow from your compost?
Our Thermal Compost is hot enough to kill most weed seeds.
Vermicompost, because it stays cooler, may occasionally contain surprise seeds. We recommend using it in monitored spaces like raised beds or containers.
How do I apply compost?
• Garden beds: Spread 1–2 inches across the surface and mix lightly into the topsoil.
• Top-dressing: Sprinkle around the base of plants or across lawns.
• Containers & seed trays: Blend with potting mix (between 2-4 parts potting mix to 1 part potting mix)
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For more information, click the product you are interested in to see further details about that product!