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Have compost...now what?

Last summer, my husband and I started a compost bin. We followed directions, adding green and brown materials, mixing and so forth. As the warm weather approaches I now need to figure out what to do with it!

Do you mix it in with the soil already in the garden? Use as a layer on top of seedlings?

I'm a pretty new gardiner; no advice is too basic!

Thank you in advance!

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Permalink Reply by Paul Lueders on March 29, 2011 at 6:44am

Use that compost to plant your tomatoes in or whatever. Dig an oversized hole for the plant and backfill with pure compost!

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Tando on March 29, 2011 at 9:06am

There ya go! Your tomatoes will thank you for the rich material.

You can mix it with your garden soil, top dress after planting, plant directly into it, assuming it is no longer at ALL hot.... garden gold.

Good job!

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Permalink Reply by Cassandra Smithson on March 29, 2011 at 9:22am

You can do both. Typically the things that you put in your composter would go into the earth to help nourish it. This way you could do whatever you need to do with it. You can use it for potting soil for containers, use it in your garden to help bring up the value of the soil. My favorite is the containers. I'm trying to do Square Foot Gardening this year. You have to buy or build the 4' by 4' garden boxes and add compost, peat moss and vermiculite. You add a little compost to that when you change what you grow and you never have to add the peat moss or vermiculite again! Mel Bartholomew literally write the book on it! This link with give you an overview of what it is he came up with. http://www.squarefootgardening.org/whatissfg#!__whatissfg I hope this all helps. I'm starting mine on Mother's Day.

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Permalink Reply by Cara Rosaen on March 29, 2011 at 10:36am

When I was first starting a new garden bed, I mixed it in all of the soil, but now as I plant new plants, I dig a hole, and put it at the bottom of the hole then the plant, than back fill with soil and compost mixed together, then water.....all the nutrients continue to feed the plant.

You can also make a compost tea, which you can spray on your plants, or just use to enhance your soil - it will help protect the health of the plant...very cool. http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/recycle/tea/tea...

It will all be great!

Cara

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Permalink Reply by Janine Roe on April 4, 2011 at 11:32am

All good suggestions. I use my compost all season. I will add it in the beginning of the season by mixing it in to the soil before I start my plantings for the summer. Also throughout the summer you can add a bit by just laying an 1" or so on top and leaving it at that or you can turn it in the soil a bit (careful not to upset the plants).

I also use it when ever I am planting something new. When I am digging up a hole, I will mix in compost so the plant has some good stuff!

You can't go wrong with compost.

Enjoy!!

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Permalink Reply by Angela (Salt of the Earth Farm) on April 4, 2011 at 8:16pm

Yes - great suggestions! You can also make hills out of it to plant your pumpkins and winter squash in. Also, add an inch or so to your asparagus bed early in the season, and again in the fall. Same goes for other perennials like rhubarb and hardy kiwi - they will all love an extra dose of nutritious compost.