We always love talking about soil because that’s all we do! Your garden will flourish each and every year if you have healthy soil. If you add compost to your garden beds, you can expect a bumper crop of plants, flowers and vegetables. But, there are a lot of folks out there confused about when to add compost. Here are some easy guidelines.
Compost Varies from Geography
In the Southern part of the country, compost needs to be added at least twice a year. They have two growing seasons down there – cool and warm. If the ground doesn’t freeze, microbes in the soil are working year-round. Plus, soil in warmer climates are naturally low in organic matter.
For us in the Midwest and North, only one composting time for composting is necessary – the fall. Compost should be layered at the end of the garden season so that it would soak into the soil and be ready to start working hard once the chance for freezing ends. So, remember, in late August through Early October, you’ll want to contact us about getting compost for your beds.
New Garden Beds and Compost
It’s easy to tell if your soil is organically rich – the darker the better. It’s that simple. If you have soil with limited organic matter, you will want to add four to six inches of compost. If it’s soil rich in organic material, one to three inches should work just fine.
Loose soil that can drain is your best bet for great growing. If you have compacted soil and poor drainage, loosen it up as best you can by about 12 inches then throw the compost on top and turn it to a six to 12 inch depth. Be careful adding partially decomposed compost to soil as it can reduce the amount of nitrogen needed by your plants.
Still have questions? We can answer them! Give us a call!