The message
from "Jo Hall" contains these words:

Hello

I am a novice gardener and I have recently been some very helpful advice
from the members of this group regarding starting a vegetable patch.

I have now dug my patch and planted my first batch of lettuces and
strawberries. However, my questions relates to compost. My neighbour has
kindly donated a bucket of homemade compost and I am not sure what to do
with it. All the books I have read on the subject have advised to mix the
compost with the soil before planting. I have already planted so can I just
spread the compost on the surface of the soil? Would that benefit the
plants at all?

Thanks in advance

Jo

Yes it would. The worms will do the hard work and draw the goodness
down. Personally I`d only do it to the strawberries as I am not sure how
lettuce reacts.

If you really get going then you have to get your crop rotation right to
suit each veggie. E.G. Root crops like carrots dont like compost or
manure as it makes them fork. Plenty of advice out there and plenty of
good advice available in this newsgroup too. 8-))

You`ll like having strawberries you can just pop down the garden to munch on.