wellrotted
Wellrotted is an adjective used to describe organic matter that has undergone thorough decomposition. In gardening and farming, wellrotted (or well-rotted) material is considered stabilized and safe for direct application to soil as a nutrient source and soil conditioner. The term is most often encountered in reference to compost, manure, or wooden matter that has matured sufficiently to release nutrients without releasing excess heat or phytotoxic compounds.
Characteristics include a dark color, crumbly texture, earthy odor, and absence of recognizable original materials. Wellrotted
Common examples include well-rotted manure, well-rotted compost, and well-rotted wood used as mulch or soil amendment.
Orthography: the term is often hyphenated as well-rotted; some texts render it as wellrotted. The unhyphenated
Related topics include composting, soil amendment, humus, and mulch.