New to SF gardening, need some tips

15 years ago

I have three 4x8 beds made with 2x10's And three that are 2x2 (for squash, melons etc)

the smaller boxes are positioned in a way that they will have lots of room to spread out.

I picked up a 1/2 ton of 3 year old compost today from the city compost place filled the back of a small truck just to the top for $20 (they say it does not contain any manure, just broken down leaves, trees, food waste etc. and it is black and beautiful...

I'm going to take photos of the 2 different composted materials I have tomorrow and post them.

Underneath the boxes I have some good ole fertile GA red clay soil that has great potential to be very good after the existing layers break down, I first covered it cardboard and then leaves and then topped off with the compost with manure.

I filled one of the small boxes tonight. Inside the box, I have laid down more cardboard (one layer) and then mixed the 2 composted materials and added perlite.

Is there anything that I'm missing?

I'll be honest, I'm a bit reluctant to plant directly into this compost...although someone at a nearby nursery told me that he uses it too and plants directly into it.

I'll welcome any advice, suggestions, tips etc.

For what it's worth, I intend to plant the following in the larger boxes: green peppers, eggplant, okra, onions, beets, carrots, kohl rabi, swiss chard, basil, parsley, dill, maybe some tomatoes (I have 60 others growing in normal beds) cucumber,

and the smaller boxes are for cantelope, watermelon, squash (zuchinni) I also have 3 20+ gallon tubs that I'll use for more of the trailing stuff, and I have 3 1/2 whiskey barrels that I can use as well.

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Comments (10)

Melissa Houser
15 years ago
RJinga, did you read the book? Mel's Mix has peat moss, vermiculite (which holds water better than perlite they say) and several kinds of compost in it.

I'm new as well, but found vermiculite through a local nursery, got peat moss at wally world and added three kinds of compost (Black Kow, Organic Mushroom and home-made) to my box. I'd have added more kinds of compost, but couldn't find any different ones locally.

If I were you, I'd at least add and mix in some peat moss for the "soil" mix. The peat moss will help with water retention.

BTW, I've already got things sprouting (along with purchased seedlings) in my box and nothing has burned from the amount of compost in there. :)
kitkat5505
15 years ago
I'm new to it too (still haven't gotten my garden bed all ready) but I am planning to just use straight compost for now due to finances. I can get a big load from the city for just $30 (actually got that idea from reading this post and checked to see if our city had that), instead of paying over $100 for the peat moss, vermiculite (which I can't even find anywhere) and store-bought compost. I will add some vermiculite and peat moss later if I find out it's not holding water well enough, but for now this is what I can afford and I have heard of people using just compost (and in Mel's book he has said in areas where vermiculite and peat moss aren't available he teaches them to use just compost) so I hope it will work out. I'm also starting my own compost bin.
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sinfonian
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I'd be more concerned with 100% compost draining well than holding water. But I do know that Mel uses 100% compost in third world countries with no access to vermiculite and peat moss. Both have destinct advantages if you can find it. Most places can order it or know a place that can or has it. You just have to ask.

As for planting directly in 3 year old compost... correct me if I'm wrong but I'd think it wouldn't burn plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure!
gumby_ct
15 years ago
--I'll be honest, I'm a bit reluctant to plant directly into this compost...
May I ask why you are reluctant?
medontdo
15 years ago
there are some avid sq ft gardners who swear by compost, some who swear by manuer, others by the mels mix, its just your preference. ummm... you can plant in the compost that's the black stuff if i remember right from all the reading i've been doing. as long as its broke down,. but i'm new to this and the composting too.. LOL i'm so tired of weeding!! i know that!! :')) LOL honesty is very great!!
snibb
15 years ago
You can use manure, but, without queston it wont grow as well as it would in a blended compost. Some things may do well while others wont do so well-a result of the blended mix of nutrients needed vs. what manure has to offer. In this case, you get whatever the horse/cow ate and whatever it was bedding in-2 ingredients. I would be cautious using anything from the municipal supply-they can say they screen it and do all that kind of stuff, but, petroleum, paint, oil, etc. products wont screen out very well. I'm with sinof...make sure you compost is at least completed...if its not, that stuff will heat up like crazy and will probably burn your plants which is why folks get nervous planting in 100% compost.....
kailleanm
15 years ago
I had a whole bunch of municipal compost delivered at the end of March. I finally got my 3, 4x8 beds planted this month. So granted, the compost sat for about 6 weeks before planting.

Everything seems to be doing well. I've got some great lettuce ready to harvest, and peas, radishes, beans, onions, mesclun, spinach and chard are all growing well from seeds I planted at the beginning of May. I planted out the tomatoes and peppers last week and they seem to be adapting well.

We'll see how it goes. I say work with what you've got - it's all lessons for next year! :-)
medontdo
15 years ago
i say i agree with kailleanm!! gardening is a constant learning! Hee hee hee i am learning so much, umm i'm supposed to be teaching my kids, but the funny thing is i learn as much from them as they dont learn from me, LOL yep i know i put dont LOL
rjinga
Original Author
15 years ago
gumby, my reluctance I suppose is mainly due to lack of experience in growing in and having compost (other than what is typically bought from the store) I have never had access to well composted.... compost.

The stuff I am using (mixing but not necessarily equal parts) is the material from the Ag center (which of course as the name infers, contains animal pooh) and then the material from a city composting place. They said it was at least 3 years old, and there was no animal "product" in it.

I'm filling the rest of my boxes tomorrow and getting it DONE...I'm sure it will be just fine, and later on I will have something nice to report in with, as stuff continues to grow.
gumby_ct
15 years ago
fwiw - in my compost things grow pretty well.

Tho I personally do NOT trust any municipal compost, period. You just never now what they have or will put into it or where the stuff came from. Maybe more incentive to make your own.

But hey, that's me.

Good Luck,
Gumby_CT

New to SF gardening, need some tips

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