A friend of mine has 2 raised beds, and for some reason buys soil for them every year from the same place, therefore she alternates which bed she uses each year. She says they always have to let it set for a year before they use it, "it's too hot" and kills everything. I think it must have something to do with the ph level of the soil. I am convinced there must be something she can do to with the soil she bought to "cool it off".

I did recommend a soil test, no clue if she will do that as yet. No sure why they think they have to buy new soil every year either instead of just composting, esp. if they are using only one bed at a time.

Any way what do all you experts think about the "hot soil" from the dirt yard?

thanks

njb


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It sounds more like she's buying a fresh load of manure each year.
Probably chicken as that stays "hot" for quite awhile. I don't
understand the concept of buying fresh "soil" every year, soil doesn't
wear out, it does get depleted of nutrients but some compost helps with
that as do some of the organic fertilizers.

George

Norma Briggs wrote:

A friend of mine has 2 raised beds, and for some reason buys soil for
them every year from the same place, therefore she alternates which
bed she uses each year. She says they always have to let it set for a
year before they use it, "it's too hot" and kills everything. I think
it must have something to do with the ph level of the soil. I am
convinced there must be something she can do to with the soil she
bought to "cool it off".

I did recommend a soil test, no clue if she will do that as yet. No
sure why they think they have to buy new soil every year either
instead of just composting, esp. if they are using only one bed at a
time.

Any way what do all you experts think about the "hot soil" from the
dirt yard?

thanks

njb


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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When referring to hot soil, it usually means the nitrogen level is very
high.... as in fresh manure. Most manure needs to be aged so it doesn't
"burn" the plants.

Nicole
"Norma Briggs" wrote in message
m...
A friend of mine has 2 raised beds, and for some reason buys soil for them
every year from the same place, therefore she alternates which bed she uses
each year. She says they always have to let it set for a year before they
use it, "it's too hot" and kills everything. I think it must have something
to do with the ph level of the soil. I am convinced there must be something
she can do to with the soil she bought to "cool it off".

I did recommend a soil test, no clue if she will do that as yet. No sure why
they think they have to buy new soil every year either instead of just
composting, esp. if they are using only one bed at a time.

Any way what do all you experts think about the "hot soil" from the dirt
yard?

thanks

njb


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.473 / Virus Database: 271 - Release Date: 4/17/2003

I know that mushroom compost is physically hot when you buy it for up to 2
months..you have to spread it out then spray it down with water..keeps heat
for a long time -Mike
Nicole H wrote in message
.. .
When referring to hot soil, it usually means the nitrogen level is very
high.... as in fresh manure. Most manure needs to be aged so it doesn't
"burn" the plants.

Nicole
"Norma Briggs" wrote in message
m...
A friend of mine has 2 raised beds, and for some reason buys soil for them
every year from the same place, therefore she alternates which bed she
uses
each year. She says they always have to let it set for a year before they
use it, "it's too hot" and kills everything. I think it must have
something
to do with the ph level of the soil. I am convinced there must be
something
she can do to with the soil she bought to "cool it off".

I did recommend a soil test, no clue if she will do that as yet. No sure
why
they think they have to buy new soil every year either instead of just
composting, esp. if they are using only one bed at a time.

Any way what do all you experts think about the "hot soil" from the dirt
yard?

thanks

njb


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.473 / Virus Database: 271 - Release Date: 4/17/2003

On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 00:57:05 -0700, "Tiffany"
wrote:

I know that mushroom compost is physically hot when you buy it for up to 2
months..you have to spread it out then spray it down with water..keeps heat
for a long time -Mike

It wasn't hot when I bought it. It had already cooled down.

I used it - as is - to fill all my containers last year.
Every single thing I planted in it grew wonderfully. This
was about ten different vegetables: I had marvelous results
with every one.

I had the kind of picture-perfect plants you see in
seed-catalog photos, in fact, except for the collards which
were eaten by cabbage worms. I'll cover the brassicas up
with floating row cover or nylon netting this year.

I'm sold on container gardening in general, and on the
spent-mushroom soil in particular.

Pat

It does depend on where you buy it and if they let it cooled or it just was
cooked -Mike
Pat Meadows wrote in message
...
On Wed, 23 Apr 2003 00:57:05 -0700, "Tiffany"
wrote:

I know that mushroom compost is physically hot when you buy it for up to
2
months..you have to spread it out then spray it down with water..keeps
heat
for a long time -Mike

It wasn't hot when I bought it. It had already cooled down.

I used it - as is - to fill all my containers last year.
Every single thing I planted in it grew wonderfully. This
was about ten different vegetables: I had marvelous results
with every one.

I had the kind of picture-perfect plants you see in
seed-catalog photos, in fact, except for the collards which
were eaten by cabbage worms. I'll cover the brassicas up
with floating row cover or nylon netting this year.

I'm sold on container gardening in general, and on the
spent-mushroom soil in particular.

Pat