To dig in compost or not
 

I have a bare garden at the moment (recently re-landscaped) and I will need
to begin planting soon. The soil appears to be 'clayey' and having done a
few tests it also appears pretty alkaline. Should I be digging in some sort
of compost to give it a bit of oomph before I even consider planting?

Jo

To dig in compost or not
 

"Whether I need it or not" I dig in compost every year...suspect that
answers your specific question.......HW.
"jo" wrote in message
news:8WH9a.10431$Vx2.800013@wards...
I have a bare garden at the moment (recently re-landscaped) and I will
need
to begin planting soon. The soil appears to be 'clayey' and having done a
few tests it also appears pretty alkaline. Should I be digging in some
sort
of compost to give it a bit of oomph before I even consider planting?

Jo

To dig in compost or not
 

"jo" wrote in message news:8WH9a.10431$Vx2.800013@wards...
I have a bare garden at the moment (recently re-landscaped) and I will need
to begin planting soon. The soil appears to be 'clayey' and having done a
few tests it also appears pretty alkaline. Should I be digging in some sort
of compost to give it a bit of oomph before I even consider planting?

Jo

Jo..I am a recently retired jobbing gardener, and I used to pay to get
rid of perfectly compostable material.Do a deal with a local.
Control what he gives you, but even lots of grass cuttings
go down with a small sprinkling of earth.,in the layers.
happy gardening..Ken

To dig in compost or not
 

"Pretty Alkaline" translates to a pH of how much? If you are above 9 you
wont grow much except weeds. Most good stuff wants soil around 6 to 6.5,
although some want it lower and some higher.

Adding dirt mixed with sand can help you with the clayey condition over
time. Digging in compost now would help a lot. Laying your grass clippings
down during the summer will help even more. A friend of mine let me put a
small garden in his back yard last year. Grass clipping were all over the
place and he said he had been doing this for years. My butternut squash
grow to about double the size of any other I have ever grown. Good luck.
Dwayne






"jo" wrote in message
news:8WH9a.10431$Vx2.800013@wards...
I have a bare garden at the moment (recently re-landscaped) and I will
need
to begin planting soon. The soil appears to be 'clayey' and having done a
few tests it also appears pretty alkaline. Should I be digging in some
sort
of compost to give it a bit of oomph before I even consider planting?

Jo