Compost versus soil

[chicklady]

I have a nice raised bed, 4x20 that worked out well. However, it cost a pretty penny to fill it with dirt. if I build another bed, can i just fill it with stuff to compost, like leaves, grass, kitchen scraps, and then plant in that instead of soil? Will it be missing something that soil has?

 

[kadesma]

I have a nice raised bed, 4x20 that worked out well. However, it cost a pretty penny to fill it with dirt. if I build another bed, can i just fill it with stuff to compost, like leaves, grass, kitchen scraps, and then plant in that instead of soil? Will it be missing something that soil has?

Chicklady
I wouldn't plant in straight compost..As my dad would say it is too "hot"
Or in my words to strong, your plant if tiny would burn and most likely die, the bigger older plants would probably get tall and stragly with no flowers or fruit. My dad mixed some of the compost with soil

kadesma

 

[suziquzie]

take your time and make the compost into soil first....
I just have mine in a pile at the back of my land.
It's going to be awhile but next year I'll have lots of nice stuff to till into the soil making it nice and rich.
Can you just expand on the 1st bed and mix it all together? That's my plan. I have 2 separate gardens but I've decided its not useful and I plan to make 1 ginormous garden.

 

[Maverick2272]

Mix it with soil, at least half and half, that still reduces the amount of soil you will need to buy. If you can wait until next year to start using it, then this year fill it with stuff to compost and by next spring it will be ready to use. Since it will have broken down it will no longer be full, so you can add soil to fill it the rest of the way and then mix it up real good before planting.
Although, why the raised beds? Is there a necessity for it or just preference? All of our beds are flat with the ground and mixed in with the rest of our garden and everything does great that way.

 

[Claire]

As some have said, if you are going to use compost, you need to put time into it. NEXT summer, buy the appropriate number of dark plastic bags, weight them down with old bricks or rocks. Let them spend a summer heating and simmering. By next summer you may have good soil. We did this when someone told us our spot for a veggie garden probably had a fungus or insect problem, and it let the garden "rest" just the right amount of time.

 

[chicklady]

I guess I didn't say that well....I did figure that it would be a few years before it all broke down enough....just didn't know if it would be misssing "structure"....like clay or sand or????? that the plants would need?

 

[ddupont]

Don't forget the worms!

I've actually found that my tomato seeds that end up in compost will grow like weeds. So some plants may like it, and while you wait for it to turn to soil, cultivate tomatoes, and perhaps some mushrooms will do well too.

 

[quicksilver]

Check here:

www.unclejim.com

Dd is correct.