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mary_max

Spreading Compost on Existing Flowerbeds

mary_max
11 years ago

Any trick on how to spread the compost on the existing flower beds? Much easier when they the beds are new and no plants in them. Soooo do you have a way to do this that might help us. We had a ton of compost dumped for all the houses on our block.

Comments (5)

  • chris_ont
    11 years ago

    Squirrels!
    I spread compost early in the year, before plants start to really leaf out. Scrape it about using a cultivator, and then walk away.
    The squirrels immediately figure something has been buried there for them and will start digging, mixing the compost with the topsoil.
    I later water the bed to wash off compost that landed on plant crowns. Eventually, the compost material works its way into the soil.
    I add more when moving plants around but generally I don't dig deep between plants to mix compost into the soil.

    The squirrel trick works in the fall, too. It's not so pleasant when they start disturbing my cedar bark mulch, though.

    Of course, you have to have plenty of those little rat-finks for this to work :)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    when i used to do it .. i tried to apply it deep enough that some was left at the end of the season ..

    what that amount is in your soil is unknown to us ... 2 or 3 inches?? .. so that when it settles.. you have 1 to 2 inches ...

    and it depends on the product ... and it ability to let water thru it.. etc ...

    the bottom line.. just spread it where you can.. there is no downside ... it need not be an anal retentive job .. its all beneficial ...

    and good exercise ...

    just lob it in there with the shovel.. trying to miss the plants .. and then spread it around with your hand ...

    ken

  • mary_max
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for all the great help on this forum! Amazing how much I am learning from you folks. What about grass in beds. Will dumping compost on the grass kill it. Not a lot of grass just here and there. Thanks

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    in my world.. grass is the most invasive weed in the universe ...

    nothing will kill it ... in a bed.. [and no .. the lasagna system will not within a bed .. IMHO]

    either remove it by hand..

    or use a grass killer ...

    proper edging is a great way to start ...

    ken

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    I agree, get in there and pull that grass out, get the roots, before it really gets going. The amount of compost you would have to put on grass to ensure its' death would be a waste of compost.

    If the compost not too fine to pick up with a pitchfork, that is a lot easier than a shovel. The lifting is the same but the jab to load the fork is easier than the dig to load the shovel.

    You can load some on a tarp, fold it, then use it like the chute on the back of a cement mixer, raising one end and using the low end to drop little piles or rows, leaving less spreading to be done. Works best with 2 people.

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