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Arcola, IL, USA

I have a 3000 sqare foot garden and have a 2.5 % OM content. I want to add compost to this garden. I was told to add 4 inchs. My calculations would be close to 40 cubic yards of compost. Good lord. I haven't that much energy! I thought I would get 10 or 12 cubic yards this year and spread it on. My questions are: Is this enough to increase OM on a yearly basis. How much should I add per year? Are my calculations right on 3000 square feet? If I wanted to go from 2.5 to 10 OM how much would I need to add at once? any, and much info would be appreciated.........

2/25/2006 12:22:03 PM

Norton, MA

If you added 10-12 yd. (1 or so inches) each year this would leave you good 4-6 years from now, as some washes away and depletes each year. I would really add alot of any type of OM as a base soon (4-6+"). Either find ANYTHING (even partly rotted) this year and add 4-6+ of that and split the suffering of the decomposition between this and next year. Or get unrotted stuff now, use your current patch, and rot it this year (suffering from low OM soil this year). I would choose #2. AleX Noel.

2/25/2006 2:29:19 PM

SF Bay Area, California

20 yards minimum this year... Get a dump truck load brought in. Don't try to haul it all in a pickup....

2/25/2006 8:57:43 PM

Simi valley, ca

My organtic level was 3.1--2 yrs ago, I added 12 cubic yards to 1800 sq ft next yr it was only 3.5,. This yr i added another 12 yds also 5 yds horse and another 3 of molded oak leaves & 2 more of rotted wood chips & a few bags of leaves then rototilled & watered it in with 2 gallons molassas and 2 gallons of fish, planted with winter rye then in a month i watered in another 2 gal of fish , soon ill turn in winter rye, i agree you should try for 20 yds & pay to have delivered !!

3/12/2006 6:10:30 PM