"Jo Hall" wrote in message
...
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?

I always put my compost only on the surface as a mulch. The
worms are happier at digging it in than I am.

Franz