frogfog wrote:
what if one lives in an area where there are no deciduous trees = only
junipers and spruce trees....what would you recommend then?

The tiny, scale-like needles from junipers make an acceptable soil
amendment without even composting; the same is true of cypress needles.
Spruce needles can be composted (as can juniper and cypress needles),
but they require frequent turning in order to bring necessary air into
the center of the mass. That's because they tend to pack down when
piled up.

With my recipe for potting mix (see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_potting_mix.html, you really need
actual compost. This supplies the beneficial soil bacteria that convert
nutrients (e.g., blood meal, bone meal) into forms that plant roots can
use. The recipe only requires a small amount of compost, perhaps just
one handful in 5 gallons of mix (assuming that everything is thoroughly
blended together). Once the mix is blended and watered, the soil
bacteria will propagate throughout the mix.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/