Re: $50 hole was: Using compost

Marge and Paul, thank you for your comments. I love to hear what the experts
are up to.

Another question on using compost as mulch in the winter: Since plants are
going dormant now, do you still have to be careful not to get mulch right up
to their stems like you do in Spring, or can you just dump it around as it
falls?  I guess that brings up the question of: if you dump it around and it
covers up a smaller plant (e.g., a small hosta, ginger, fern, whatever),
does it kill the plant or is it OK?  (I'm talking about plants that are
still green or just barely going yellow.)

Thanks!
Diann

-----Original Message-----
From: PRIMROSES [s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU]On Behalf Of
Paul Henjum
Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2000 3:47 AM
To: shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Subject: Re: [SG] $50 hole was: Using compost


In a message dated 10/21/2000 1:34:47 AM Central Daylight Time,
mtalt@CLARK.NET writes:

<<
 What this means to me is that having a really loose, organic root run
 makes plants very happy.  So, moral of this longish tale is give your
 plants as open a root environment as you can...they will thank you:-)


 Marge  >>

A hearty Amen to that.

My first couple of years trying to grow plants were hit and miss because my
soils were so hard.  Now days I have replaced the hard compacted soils-more
work in the short run-but it really pays off.

Most new beds I make now are raised beds, and I put in the best soils I can
find or "make," it's more work but I like the results. I have to water less
the plants grow faster and larger and the weeds are easier to control.

Over the last few weeks have spread out about 6 yards of compost from our
two
compost piles. Personally I do not use compost to make new beds but use it
as
a top dressing in the fall as a winter mulch and then work it into the soil
in the spring.

Paul
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