I expect it's typically turned into the soil but how about a layer in
the hole where a tomato plant might go for instance? Also, any benefit
to spreading it around the plants on top of the ground?

Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote:

I expect it's typically turned into the soil but how about a layer in
the hole where a tomato plant might go for instance? Also, any benefit
to spreading it around the plants on top of the ground?

Tomatoes potatoes chilis and pumpkins/squashes can take compost
straight, so go ahead.
Most other plants will croak if planted in compost - it's just too
strong.

Henriette

--
Henriette Kress, AHG Helsinki, Finland
Henriette's herbal homepage: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed

Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote:

I expect it's typically turned into the soil but how about a layer in
the hole where a tomato plant might go for instance? Also, any benefit
to spreading it around the plants on top of the ground?

Tomatoes potatoes chilis and pumpkins/squashes can take compost
straight, so go ahead.
Most other plants will croak if planted in compost - it's just too
strong.

Henriette

--
Henriette Kress, AHG Helsinki, Finland
Henriette's herbal homepage: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed

"Grandpa" jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote in message
...
I expect it's typically turned into the soil but how about a layer in
the hole where a tomato plant might go for instance? Also, any benefit
to spreading it around the plants on top of the ground?


Sure, bung a thick layer round soft fruit plants/bushes about now, and
rhubarb particularly will like it.

Steve

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 09:58:41 +0200, Henriette Kress wrote:

Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote:

I expect it's typically turned into the soil but how about a layer in
the hole where a tomato plant might go for instance? Also, any benefit
to spreading it around the plants on top of the ground?

Tomatoes potatoes chilis and pumpkins/squashes can take compost straight,
so go ahead.
Most other plants will croak if planted in compost - it's just too strong.

Henriette

IIRC, compost generally assays out at about 1-1-1. It's not too strong. If
anything, its value as a fertilizer is over-rated. Perhaps you were
thinking about straight, uncomposted, manures?

I can think of no garden plant that doesn't benefit from the use of
compost whether used as a mulch or forked into the ground. Just plan on a
solid 2" or more when used as a mulch. If you haven't enough to go around,
spread it thick as far as you can and go make some more for the rest of
the garden.

Bill

--
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On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 09:58:41 +0200, Henriette Kress wrote:

Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote:

I expect it's typically turned into the soil but how about a layer in
the hole where a tomato plant might go for instance? Also, any benefit
to spreading it around the plants on top of the ground?

Tomatoes potatoes chilis and pumpkins/squashes can take compost straight,
so go ahead.
Most other plants will croak if planted in compost - it's just too strong.

Henriette

IIRC, compost generally assays out at about 1-1-1. It's not too strong. If
anything, its value as a fertilizer is over-rated. Perhaps you were
thinking about straight, uncomposted, manures?

I can think of no garden plant that doesn't benefit from the use of
compost whether used as a mulch or forked into the ground. Just plan on a
solid 2" or more when used as a mulch. If you haven't enough to go around,
spread it thick as far as you can and go make some more for the rest of
the garden.

Bill

--
http://cannaday.us (genealogy)
http://organic-earth.com (organic gardening)
Uptimes below for the Linux machines that created / host these sites.
22:32:00 up 20 days, 1:55, 3 users, load average: 0.26, 0.82, 0.81
22:27:00 up 80 days, 2:39, 8 users, load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 09:58:41 +0200, Henriette Kress wrote:

Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote:

I expect it's typically turned into the soil but how about a layer in
the hole where a tomato plant might go for instance? Also, any benefit
to spreading it around the plants on top of the ground?

Tomatoes potatoes chilis and pumpkins/squashes can take compost straight,
so go ahead.
Most other plants will croak if planted in compost - it's just too strong.

Henriette

IIRC, compost generally assays out at about 1-1-1. It's not too strong. If
anything, its value as a fertilizer is over-rated. Perhaps you were
thinking about straight, uncomposted, manures?

I can think of no garden plant that doesn't benefit from the use of
compost whether used as a mulch or forked into the ground. Just plan on a
solid 2" or more when used as a mulch. If you haven't enough to go around,
spread it thick as far as you can and go make some more for the rest of
the garden.

Bill

--
http://cannaday.us (genealogy)
http://organic-earth.com (organic gardening)
Uptimes below for the Linux machines that created / host these sites.
22:32:00 up 20 days, 1:55, 3 users, load average: 0.26, 0.82, 0.81
22:27:00 up 80 days, 2:39, 8 users, load average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00

Anonymous wrote:
Henriette Kress wrote:

Tomatoes potatoes chilis and pumpkins/squashes can take compost straight,
so go ahead.
Most other plants will croak if planted in compost - it's just too strong.

IIRC, compost generally assays out at about 1-1-1. It's not too strong. If
anything, its value as a fertilizer is over-rated. Perhaps you were
thinking about straight, uncomposted, manures?

Wormcompost. Very very strong.

After my first year of wormcomposting, indoors, I had a bucketful or two
of prime compost, and used that for planting. The only thing that survived
was tomatoes and sweet peppers; everything else croaked. Diluting 1:1:1
with sand and peat would have made for very good planting soil.

Granted, normal garden compost generally isn't that strong.
But pumpkins and squashes need planting on last years' compost heap,
for real growing power.

Henriette (Aaaah, run, the spaghetti squash is coming this way!)

--
Henriette Kress, AHG * * * * * * * * * * *Helsinki, Finland
Henriette's herbal homepage: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed

Anonymous wrote:
Henriette Kress wrote:

Tomatoes potatoes chilis and pumpkins/squashes can take compost straight,
so go ahead.
Most other plants will croak if planted in compost - it's just too strong.

IIRC, compost generally assays out at about 1-1-1. It's not too strong. If
anything, its value as a fertilizer is over-rated. Perhaps you were
thinking about straight, uncomposted, manures?

Wormcompost. Very very strong.

After my first year of wormcomposting, indoors, I had a bucketful or two
of prime compost, and used that for planting. The only thing that survived
was tomatoes and sweet peppers; everything else croaked. Diluting 1:1:1
with sand and peat would have made for very good planting soil.

Granted, normal garden compost generally isn't that strong.
But pumpkins and squashes need planting on last years' compost heap,
for real growing power.

Henriette (Aaaah, run, the spaghetti squash is coming this way!)

--
Henriette Kress, AHG * * * * * * * * * * *Helsinki, Finland
Henriette's herbal homepage: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed

Anonymous wrote:
Henriette Kress wrote:

Tomatoes potatoes chilis and pumpkins/squashes can take compost straight,
so go ahead.
Most other plants will croak if planted in compost - it's just too strong.

IIRC, compost generally assays out at about 1-1-1. It's not too strong. If
anything, its value as a fertilizer is over-rated. Perhaps you were
thinking about straight, uncomposted, manures?

Wormcompost. Very very strong.

After my first year of wormcomposting, indoors, I had a bucketful or two
of prime compost, and used that for planting. The only thing that survived
was tomatoes and sweet peppers; everything else croaked. Diluting 1:1:1
with sand and peat would have made for very good planting soil.

Granted, normal garden compost generally isn't that strong.
But pumpkins and squashes need planting on last years' compost heap,
for real growing power.

Henriette (Aaaah, run, the spaghetti squash is coming this way!)

--
Henriette Kress, AHG * * * * * * * * * * *Helsinki, Finland
Henriette's herbal homepage: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 22:37:42 -0500, Anonymous
wrote:

IIRC, compost generally assays out at about 1-1-1. It's not too strong. If
anything, its value as a fertilizer is over-rated. Perhaps you were
thinking about straight, uncomposted, manures?

Do you know, offhand, of any sites that describe the 'nutritional
content' of average compost? As you say, a lot of people tout its
value as fertilizer, while I've always thought that its soil-improving
characteristics were what makes it valuable/necessary.

Henriette Kress wrote in message . ..
Grandpa jsdebooATcomcast.net wrote:

I expect it's typically turned into the soil but how about a layer in
the hole where a tomato plant might go for instance? Also, any benefit
to spreading it around the plants on top of the ground?

Tomatoes potatoes chilis and pumpkins/squashes can take compost
straight, so go ahead.
Most other plants will croak if planted in compost - it's just too
strong.

Henriette

Perhaps if you compost kitchen scraps undiluted. But if you mix in
enough leaves the resulting compost will be mellow enough for most
plants.

Henriette Kress wrote:

After my first year of wormcomposting, indoors, I had a bucketful or two
of prime compost, and used that for planting. The only thing that survived
was tomatoes and sweet peppers; everything else croaked. Diluting 1:1:1
with sand and peat would have made for very good planting soil.

Granted, normal garden compost generally isn't that strong.
But pumpkins and squashes need planting on last years' compost heap,
for real growing power.

Henriette (Aaaah, run, the spaghetti squash is coming this way!)

I have volunteer melons that grow out of my compost pile, so I'm
guessing they can handle it as well. In fact, these are
mutuant-strength plants. The seedling stems are about as big as my
thumb... well, maybe not that big, but they are definitely larger
than seedlings planted in ordinary soil.

(Christopher Hamel) wrote in message . com...
Henriette Kress wrote:

After my first year of wormcomposting, indoors, I had a bucketful or two
of prime compost, and used that for planting. The only thing that survived
was tomatoes and sweet peppers; everything else croaked. Diluting 1:1:1
with sand and peat would have made for very good planting soil.

Granted, normal garden compost generally isn't that strong.
But pumpkins and squashes need planting on last years' compost heap,
for real growing power.

Henriette (Aaaah, run, the spaghetti squash is coming this way!)

I have volunteer melons that grow out of my compost pile, so I'm
guessing they can handle it as well. In fact, these are
mutuant-strength plants. The seedling stems are about as big as my
thumb... well, maybe not that big, but they are definitely larger
than seedlings planted in ordinary soil.

yes, and garlic, chicory and lettuce also will grow well in compost.
Some plants, like cabbage, tatsoi, or some mustards, may prefer
slightly mellower soil.

On Thu, 25 Mar 2004 10:26:29 +0000, Frogleg wrote:

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 22:37:42 -0500, Anonymous
wrote:

IIRC, compost generally assays out at about 1-1-1. It's not too strong.
If anything, its value as a fertilizer is over-rated. Perhaps you were
thinking about straight, uncomposted, manures?

Do you know, offhand, of any sites that describe the 'nutritional content'
of average compost? As you say, a lot of people tout its value as
fertilizer, while I've always thought that its soil-improving
characteristics were what makes it valuable/necessary.

Here's one ... but it's not the one I recall. There are probably others.

http://www.mastercomposter.com/ref/faq.html#npk

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