How often to compost? Fresh plantings and seeds too...

[creepycrawley]

Hi all..

Could someone tell me as to how often is it right to fertilise the soil with compost? How long before the soil runs out of nutrients? We've just recently bought a house with a small lawn that hasn't been fertilised in about 8 years or so, so I'm not sure as to how to go about it, cuz I've taken up gardening as a hobby quite recently.. In the last year, I'd tried planting various things like carrots and spinach and chilies, but they either never seemed to grow, or died out by the coming winter.. The lawn is about ten feet long and five feet wide.. I've left a foot wide strip of grass in the middle, with small patches of about two square feet on either side, bordered by very short hedges.. I was wondering how much compost would I be needing to maintain this much of land.. Also, since the hedges are freshly planted (about two days), I wanted to know how long should I wait before I compost the soil..

Many thanks..

[rainbowgardener]

The thing about compost (as long as it is "finished" I.e. well broken down) as opposed to chemical fertilizers is that you can't go wrong with it. You don't have to wait to use it. When I am planting things, I usually put some compost in the planting hole. But you can always add it as a top dressing, meaning just lay some on the soil and scratch it in a little bit.

Not sure I quite followed all that. You said your lawn is 10x5' then said " I've left a foot wide strip of grass in the middle..." Does that mean you turned the rest into flower or veggie beds? Is that what you are concerned about adding compost to?

There's no rules about this stuff, but for maintaining soil, especially in my veggie beds which are crowded full and have some heavy feeders, I put compost down when planting and then add more as top dressing mid season. I also keep the soil mulched with organic mulches all the time, adding more spring and fall. The mulch breaking down adds nutrients to the soil as well.

"carrots and spinach and chilies, but they either never seemed to grow, or died out by the coming winter.." ?? Spinach is an annual which does die at the end of the season. Carrots are technically biennial, but die when you eat them, since you are eating the root. Peppers are tender perennials which can survive in tropical areas, but die as soon as it gets cold. That's what's expected to happen!

[creepycrawley]

Hmm.. Well, you got the picture right, that's exactly what I've done: turned the sides into flower and veggie beds.. But the thing about the plants dying out was that they barely managed to get a few inches off the ground before turning brown and shrivelling away.. I checked up on their life cycles already, and that's what bothered me, that why in the world are they just fading away instead of flourishing?.. The last carrot that survived was about the length of my thumb, and that was after nearly six months of being in the ground... I asked the gardener that used to come here, and he was the one who told me that in the last 8 years he worked here, the owners didn't give two hoots as to whether the soil needs fertiliser or not.. So I'm guessing that used up nutrients are the cause, and I wondered if compost could be the solution for it.. I just didn't really know if I could use it as a top dressing, or in all of the various ways you suggested.. I always thought of it as a mulch .. Anyhow, thanks a LOT for clearing up my doubts ..

[rainbowgardener]

OK, I didn't have the picture of what you were talking about. It is hard to know what happened and you certainly can't go wrong with giving your soil a good dose of fertility -- maybe add some well-composted manure as well as regular compost.

But that may or may not be all that was wrong with your veggies. You probably want to consult with some knowledgeable local growers about what grows well in your area. I don't know your climate, but I think of it as being hot there. Carrots and spinach are cool weather crops that really don't do well once it gets hot....

[applestar]

I agree. I suspect carrots and spinach would do better in what would be your winter months. I'm supposing that you don't get frost or freezing temps where you are. Another point to remember is that both carrots and spinach like alkaline soil. A pH test of the soil may be in order.

For poor soil in hot climates, sweet potatoes is a good starter. They will help break up the soil as they grow too. Another good crop to build up your soil, and does not mind poorer soil, would be some kind of a legume -- beans, lentils, peanuts (well, maybe not peanuts if you soil is compacted) and mustards. I'm trying to think of hot weather crops since I'm pretty sure that's the season you're heading into. Sunflowers also grow deep roots to help loosen up the soil. I want to say corn sometimes grows well where grass used to grow. Do you grow corn there? Maybe something in the same family like sorghum?

[farmerlon]

The last carrot that survived was about the length of my thumb, and that was after nearly six months of being in the ground...

Another very important thing to provide for Carrots, is a deep and loose soil.
If you happen to have soil that is heavy (clay), or hard packed, and possibly with little organic matter ... Carrots will have a hard time in that. Adding and "working in" the compost will really start to help that situation.
Also, consider making a raised bed or box for the Carrots. Then, you could amend the soil in the box to make it ideal for carrots ... possibly by adding Sand, Compost, Greensand, Lime, etc... .
You might need a Soil Test from your local County Extension office, to get a better idea of what your soil needs (in nutrients and pH adjustment).

[creepycrawley]

Well, I do think that the soil leans toward alkaline end of the pH scale, because I planted a citrus tree and it started to show signs of chlorosis soon after, particularly in the new leaves.. Also, all the pepper plants went the same way too.. And I think the soil is pretty much ok, structurally that is, meaning it's not compacted or clayey or anything, because it breaks up easily when you push a spade in.. I'll try to take up applestar's advice on growing something like sunflowers or corn.. Well maybe not corn, cuz people tend to break into our lawn and steal fruit from our guava tree .. Oh and sorry about the vague picture I presented of the whole situation, it just had me totally flummoxed and had been nibbling at my thoughts constantly so I just forgot to think .. Anyhow, thanks a LOT LOT everyone.. I'll see what I can do with my pile ..