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| so i've found a place to get some compost from-- now the question is, is it too late to add to my garden?
If I add it to my soil now, how long should I wait before planting transplants? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Mix it in at any time. I do so just before I plant. If the compost is "done," mix it in, level the soil, plant then water to settle the soil. |
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| I dump a bunch of "finished" compost in with everything I plant. The reason jean001a refers to it as "done" and I call it "finished" is that if it is still in process the microbes and mycorrhizae use up nitrogen from the surrounding soil to finish breaking the organic material down, taking it away from the plants. Just make sure that the pile it comes from has heated and cooled or has sat there for two or three years. Some places call compost organic material that has recently been ground and hasn't finished the decomposition process, like ground tree chips that are two or three months old and are far from breaking down completely. hortster |
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| Is there a way to know by looking at it if it's 'finished' enough? It's advertised as 'finished' so I guess it's probably safe to assume that it is. It's made locally via a 'hot heap' and is done in a matter of weeks. |
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- Posted by jonhughes So.Oregon (jonehughes@hotmail.com) on Sun, Apr 24, 11 at 22:37
| Hi pearsaml, It should smell earthy,nice,sweet (almost like you may be tempted to take a bite ;-) Take a look at my video (link below) towards the end of the video ,I show you my finished compost ;-)
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Here is a link that might be useful: Up close view of compost
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- Posted by idaho_gardener 6a_sw_idaho (My Page) on Sun, Apr 24, 11 at 23:49
| Finished compost in weeks? If that's really true, I'm impressed. But if it is not finished, it will be hard on the plants. People cite its use of nitrogen as the reason not to use unfinished compost, but I know of a different reason that unfinished compost would hinder plant growth. Unfinished compost contains butyric, oxalic, acetic and other acids that inhibit seed germination and root growth. That's the bad news. The good news is that if you don't mix the compost into the soil you can still use it. If you use it as if it were a mulch after your plants are sprouted and transplanted and established, it might work quite well. I would keep it away from the plant stems, but its unfinished quality might actually be a benefit - the activity it will create at the surface of the soil will likely benefit the plant. Just keep it 2-3" away from the plant stem so that there is still some soil surface area that the plant's roots can use without stress. |
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- Posted by TheMasterGardener1 none (My Page) on Mon, Apr 25, 11 at 1:11
| Hey i just responded on your other post about wher to find compost..read the other post..You cant add your compost to your soil now it will take to long for the plants to take up the nutrients in the compost unlees you make tea. Simply take your compost and shake it in 1 gallon juggs and feed right to your plants add a teaspoon of sugar!!befor shaking and they will love it. But like i said in the other post find a store wher u can get powdered compost tea mix. This is cheaper in your case and more direct of a result. It is better then moving compost around and alot more safer aswell. It will really change your garden. |
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| You can add compost to your garden anytime you have some. It does not make any difference how long it may take plants to take up the nutrients, that is determined by the activity of the Soil Food Web in your soil. Finished compost will be cool and have a pleasant, earthy odor. Warm compost with an ammonia like odor or cool compost with a putrid odor is not good stuff. |
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