If you mix a wood product with the soil, it sucks the nitrogen that the tomatoes (etc) need for growth, and they will be pale and stunted. If you just lay the mulch on the surface around the tomatoes (don't let it touch the stems), it will only use the nitrogen on the surface where it touches the soil. If you want to do this, just rake the mulch away at the end of the season and pile it up, use it again the same way next year. It will gradually disintegrate into the soil. If you feel uncomfortable with the chips using the nitrogen in the soil, sprinkle the top of the soil with some cottonseed meal or alfalfa meal, then put the chips on top of that. This is not a reliable method for MIXING the chips with the soil. Sue

Just stick with the cow manure as long as it is well aged, or any other aged/composted animal manure (well aged = no strong smell, just an earthy odor). Peat acidifies soil so you can add that if you have concerns about your soil being alkaline but you will need large quantities to make much of a difference. "Organic garden soil" (a bit of a misnomer as 'soil' by definition is organic in origin) will be the most expensive and least necessary addition unless you are trying to quickly fill raised beds. And sand is NOT typically recommended to be added to clay soils - in most cases you would need huge quantities to effect any significant change in structure and any less tends to result in a concrete-like product. Stick with organic matter - you can't go wrong. In the future, you may want to start your own compost. It's a great way to get rid of kitchen waste and recycle your own garden refuse, lawn clippings, leaves, etc. And your garden will love you for it! Or investgate 'lasagne gardening' if you need to create new planting beds. If home composting is not practical, look into whether or not your area has any commercial composting acitivity. Many municipalities will recycle collected yard waste into compost they then make available to the public. Applying several inches of compost as mulch annually will infinitely improve soil conditions, reduce weeds, conserve moisture and eliminate a need for any chemical fertilizers. You can also check out the Soils and Compost forum for other info. But there are some overly serious participants, so beware of the unnecessary dogma and remember that composting and improving your soil is not as nearly complicated as many would have you believe.

ok, this is kinda sorta related, but it might be more appropriate in the pests forum, but I'd like to pick the soil experts brains first. I'm considering doing some lasagna layering this fall in the beds I've created for the first time this year. Everything is growing pretty well this year, lil chlorosis in the squash. I'll be adding some iron, magnesium, and nitrogen individually to try to figure out what the deficiency may be. Everything is growing in ammended clay soil that has 2 years of grass clippings and chipped wood added and decomposed before topping with aged compost (2-3 year old pile) and some mushroom manure (prob 2-3 inches combined). So, here's my dilema. I'm trying to stay organic. I've been insecticidal soaping cucumber beetles, squishing squash bugs (not too many, actually) and I've performed surgery on 4 pumpkin vines to dig out the squash vine borers and chop them up with my exacto knife (gross lil buggers). Everything I've read about controlling such pests is to "make sure to clean up the garden in the fall so that the pests are less likely to overwinter there and hatch in the spring to infect your new plants..." Isn't sheet composting just creating the perfect place for the lil squash bugs etc. to take up residence and stay all snuggley warm over the winter waiting for the spring feast of my seedlings? Thoughts and perspectives are most welcome :) -Veronica (sorry if I'm hijacking the posting ... I can repost as a stand alone question if y'all want.)

The main concurn with fresh cow manure is keeping it airated. For that reason I wouldn't mix it with the other material. If the cows are on pasture,I would alow most to lay where it falls and eventualy return to the soil. If they are stalled which requires cleaning,I would want to age it before putting into a bin. I would want an area about 6'X6' on the ground where I could dump in adjoining stacks until the ground was covered about 6" to 8" deep. With a square point shovel,I would put 3/4ths of the 36 sq ft on top of one 3'x3' corner,alternating each shovel full coming from aereas of varying dryness/age in hopes of dry material creating air pockets in the new stack. The new stack will recieve the first new manure from stalls then the remaining emaginary "L" shaped bare ground will be covered similar to when we started. When the ground is once again covered,everything is stacked in the diagonal corner layering dry with fresher. Ok,I hope to have created somwhat of a visual of a stratigy for ageing and composting the manure with minium labor. Don't use a tape measure and calander in attempt to adheare to the method,use your judgment on space,timing and wherther to add moisture or cover to prevent over watering by rain. You will reach a point where the manure is reduced in bulk and is more suitable for mixing with material in your bin without creating anarobic problems. Alternate to incorprating into your bin,taking the manure to fully composted is satisfactory also.