The term compost means something different in the United States than it does in Britain, and the OP may have been using it in a different way than is commonly understood on this forum. The British and Europeans often use the noun "compost" to mean potting mix. A common potting mix in Britain is called John Innes compost. The NPK is supplied by a combination of organic amendments. Here's a description. John Innes Composts are a blend of carefully selected loam or topsoil, sphagnum moss peat, coarse sand or grit and fertilisers. The loam is screened and sterilised and then thoroughly mixed with the other ingredients in proportions designed to achieve the optimum air and water-holding capacity and nutrient content for different types and sizes of plants. Sorry to say that when I started out growing container plants back in the day, I got all my advice from Thalassa Cruso, who was the Julia Child of gardeners in a popular public television series and published several books on the subject. Everyone made their own mixes in her day. Here is a link that might be useful: John Innes Compost recipes

This is my 4th year vegetable gardening...so still new. I got a composter last fall and used it all winter...now that spring is here it is looking like good, well mixed compost ready to use. I've never used it before though. Do I mix it in when I till before planting, like into the entire bed? Or concentrate it to each plant as I put it in the ground? I plant directly into the ground and use outdoor carpet for pathways. West Central Illinois, zone 5. I plant the usual's, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, green beans and usually at least one experiment...this year...melon. Is compost strong..as in do I use the whole barrel or just little by little? Thanks for any advice!

First...I looked up Abbotsford and you are in the same relative weather area as I am here in Western Oregon. In the interest of full disclosure I have ONLY been gardening for 8 years and I am giving my opinions based on that experience, reading and NOT scientific evidence. How long have you been gardening? It looks like from the photo you will be having to deal with the grasses that border the compost. Was the compost spread over dormant grasses? How long has this been fallow? Here is my advice. In the next couple of weeks we should have a "drying period." Watch the forecast, and at the end of that time work this into the soil. If it is on top of grasses, I would just disk it in. I think if it is on sod, it would be difficult to till and might just spread the grasses. If there is no sod...go ahead and deep till it in and plan to till it a couple of more times before planting (weather permitting). To me, you are one year away form effective gardening on this. Mother Nature will not be rushed, but rather loves smooth steady attention Good Luck PS. Go to your GW profile and update your location and zone and then it will appear in future posts (that is essential to get quality responses)

I have a pond that dries up over the winter, and in early spring, there is a 1" layer of dried goop that I'll carefully rake up and wheelbarrow up to my gardens. I use it directly in raised beds, and that first year, it grows a fabulous batch of vegetables. The 2nd year is still pretty impressive, but the organic matter starts to go so adding mulch / compost etc keeps it going. I wouldn't bother composting it, its wonderful stuff.