How Health in the Hood Uses M.E.P. 360 Vegan Compost toTransform Their Community Gardens

An interview with Troy Lyons

Troy Lyons, master gardener at Health in the Hood, knows quality soil better than most.

This nonprofit operates community gardens in neighborhoods classified as food

deserts, offering fresh produce, education, and green spaces for local families.

Earlier this year, M.E.P. 360 committed 3,250 lbs of vegan compost to support their

mission, and the results have been remarkable.

MEP: Troy, how has the M.E.P. 360 compost performed in your gardens?

Troy:

“We use the compost in three of our community gardens, and it has done

amazing work for our soil. It complements the soil beautifully, so much that I’ve

reduced my pest-control treatments by two-thirds.

It’s so rich that it keeps the bugs out of the beds, and the plants stay very healthy,

flourishing, and producing incredibly bountiful harvests. Before using this compost, I

was treating for pests every two or three weeks because of aphids, moths, and

common garden pests.”

MEP: Have you noticed any changes in how the soil manages water?

Troy:

“Absolutely. Water retention has improved significantly, and we’ve seen a real

difference in plant growth. Most of our crops are heavy feeders, meaning they need a

lot of water and typically the beds are dry throughout the day.

But once we added the compost, after our usual morning sprinkler cycle, the soil stays

moist well into the afternoon, even under the hot sun.”

How Troy applied the compost

The garden’s base soil had been purchased in bulk a few years prior, and Troy

refreshed it with a simple method:

Troy:

“I first added a 1/4-inch topcoat of compost and worked it into the soil with my hand

tool. Then, when planting, I made sure each crop had compost placed around its base.

And the results are trememdous. I recommend this compost to anyone growing plants

or vegetables. It lasts much longer than any other compost we’ve used, and it

performs far better.”

He also compared last year’s garden to this year’s with pictures and the impact is

visible ‘‘The difference is incredible. The vegetable garden is very lush.’

What sets M.E.P. 360 compost apart

Troy has extensive experience working with different composts and even makes his

own liquid compost, so his praise carries weight.

“I’ve used many kinds of compost over the years, and nothing compares to this dry,

refined vegan compost. No one produces a high-quality compost like this. With other

types of compost, the smell lingers for up to a week after application. With M.E.P. 360,

there’s none of that odor. It’s like adding a zest of lemon with a hint of basil to your

garden!”

MEP: Troy, in just a few words... how would you describe M.E.P. 360

compost?

Troy:

“UNMATCHED.”