Another Compost Question?
 

Is is OK to use new compost as mulch on Vegie plants .

The compost has completed it's cycle, and is no longer hot. I have
made more this year than I really need for planting, so I was
wondering if it would be beneficial to use it as mulch??

Thanks! O'boy!

Another Compost Question?
 

O'boy! wrote:
Is is OK to use new compost as mulch on Vegie plants .

The compost has completed it's cycle, and is no longer hot. I have
made more this year than I really need for planting, so I was
wondering if it would be beneficial to use it as mulch??

Thanks! O'boy!

I put new compose around my Tomato plants every year and I have never
had a problem.

You might want to try it on just some plants just to make sure it is not
too rich or you could always mix it with potting soil just to make sure
you don't burn your plants.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Gardening Since 1969

To see pictures from my garden visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

Another Compost Question?
 

"Bill R" wrote in message
...
O'boy! wrote:
Is is OK to use new compost as mulch on Vegie plants .

The compost has completed it's cycle, and is no longer hot. I have
made more this year than I really need for planting, so I was
wondering if it would be beneficial to use it as mulch??

Thanks! O'boy!

I put new compose around my Tomato plants every year and I have never had
a problem.

You might want to try it on just some plants just to make sure it is not
too rich

Great idea. In a climate where you get just one chance per year to plant
certain things, test something on your precious plants. Not good. Instead,
spread it around those plants, but imagine an 18" radius around the stems.
Keep it outside that radius. For tomatoes, that's a pretty safe margin. For
plants whose diameter is smaller, shrink the circle.

Another Compost Question?
 

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
"Bill R" wrote in message
...
O'boy! wrote:
Is is OK to use new compost as mulch on Vegie plants .

The compost has completed it's cycle, and is no longer hot. I have
made more this year than I really need for planting, so I was
wondering if it would be beneficial to use it as mulch??

Thanks! O'boy!

I put new compose around my Tomato plants every year and I have never
had
a problem.

You might want to try it on just some plants just to make sure it is not
too rich

Great idea. In a climate where you get just one chance per year to plant
certain things, test something on your precious plants. Not good. Instead,
spread it around those plants, but imagine an 18" radius around the stems.
Keep it outside that radius. For tomatoes, that's a pretty safe margin.
For
plants whose diameter is smaller, shrink the circle.

would it also depend on what was put in the compost bin and how long it has
been sitting since it was hot.

For instance, a dried leaves, tea bags, vege and fruit peels, coffee
grounds, paper compost mix would not hold anything in terms of being too
rich or weedy you would worry about spreading round.

A compost mix containing weeds or seeding grasses, animal poops etc may be
too fresh for plants or contain seeds that were not properly killed by heat.

If it is of any use to you, I have used fairly fresh compost myself as mulch
and as fill for raised garden. Buried a foot down in a raised garden not
much germinated from it I was worried about. I used some under a hedge to
keep weeds down. The compost itself sprouted some weeds (and interestingly a
few tomato plants) but easily weeded out/mulched over. The hedge is quit
hardy mind.

rob