use old mix or add new?

no-till 2012-08-26, 09:36

When I pull old plants such as tomatoes, do I shake the the old soil back into the square, or do I add fresh composted "Mel's mix"? I'm wondering when and how I replenish the soil (mix)?

**rowena___.** 2012-08-26, 09:38

i do shake off as much as i can, then i also add some compost to replenish the nutrition of the medium.

no-till 2012-08-26, 10:03

Thanks Rowena. That answers part of of what I'm trying to learn.
I know as in any form of gardening, that I'm using the nutrients in the soil. If my boxes are full, how do I add enough compost to keep the nutrient level high enough?

**rowena___.** 2012-08-26, 11:12

it doesn't take much. just add enough to fill the hole made by removing the plant. in time the mix settles and you might need to add more than that.

**camprn** 2012-08-26, 12:41

I go a bit beyond that and add as much compost as I need to to fill the box full.

CapeCoddess 2012-08-27, 09:30

camprn wrote:I go a bit beyond that and add as much compost as I need to to fill the box full.

You do? I could do that. Do you mix it in or just leave it on top?

CC

Lindacol 2012-08-27, 10:26

CapeCoddess wrote:
camprn wrote:I go a bit beyond that and add as much compost as I need to to fill the box full.

You do? I could do that. Do you mix it in or just leave it on top?

CC

I also do that. If the squares are empty and do not have a lot of roots from neighboring squares I mix it in. Crops like my tomatoes that are producing for most of the year I just add on top when I see that the MM level has dropped (maybe 3-4 times a year). I often add compost by the bucketful when I have adjoining empty squares.

**camprn** 2012-08-27, 12:43

Lindacol wrote:
CapeCoddess wrote:
camprn wrote:I go a bit beyond that and add as much compost as I need to to fill the box full.

You do? I could do that. Do you mix it in or just leave it on top?

CC

I also do that. If the squares are empty and do not have a lot of roots from neighboring squares I mix it in. Crops like my tomatoes that are producing for most of the year I just add on top when I see that the MM level has dropped (maybe 3-4 times a year). I often add compost by the bucketful when I have adjoining empty squares.

+1
I mix the large quantities in with a fork when there is nothing in the bed.

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