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Message: [QUOTE="Chuck, post: 188330, member: 944"] Your garden soil, if 6 inches deep, is 64 cu. ft. You added 15 cu. ft of compost or about 1/4 the volume of the soil. You could have doubled the compost. For long term soil additives add GreenSand and Lava Sand. Green Sand is full of minerals and will last 2 or 3 years and after that only a small amount is needed each year. Lava sand lasts forever. It helps maintain oxygen and correct moisture levels. I use only organic fertilizers. There are many nationwide organic fertilizers such as Espoma and Fox Farm. If the bag has OMRI on it, it is a good fertilizer. Fertilize the soil in advance of when you plant. There are many other soil additives that one would use for a specific purpose but they are normally used after planting. Compost breaks down and should be replaced next year. Compost and fertilizer is broken down into nutrients by soil microbes and these nutrients are made available to the plants by these same microbes so it makes sense that one would want as many of them as possible. The best way I know of to increase microbial numbers is to use molasses. Horticultural molasses supplies carbohydrates needed by all of the micro-organisms in the soil and greatly enhances their numbers. Please update your profile as to where you are located and your hardiness zone so if you have any questions we will be better able to help. Having said all of this what you have done so far is outstanding. Successful gardening is not easy but getting off to a good start will make it a very enjoyable experience. If you have any questions don't hesitate................... [/QUOTE]

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