Amending the previous years mix

BrotherNorm 3/1/2013, 8:04 am

Does anyone amend the previous years Mels mix and if so what do you do?

- Add more if there's room?
- Take some out then put new stuff back in?
- Organic fertilizer?
- Something else?

**camprn** 3/1/2013, 8:06 am

Hi Norm, In prepping my beds for spring planting, I add enough homemade compost to bring the mix level with the top of the box. There is no need to add more Mel's Mix, only compost.

JackieB999 3/1/2013, 9:07 am

I'm noticing that my MM is kind of spongy and in a clump. Is this normal? I would have to dump my pots, fluff it up and pot again with more compost next year.

**RoOsTeR** 3/1/2013, 9:35 am

camprn wrote:Hi Norm, In prepping my beds for spring planting, I add enough homemade compost to bring the mix level with the top of the box. There is no need to add more Mel's Mix, only compost.

+1. Remember when harvesting a square, add a trowel full of your compost blend as stated in the book Amending the previous years mix 3170584802

CapeCoddess 3/1/2013, 11:06 am

RoOsTeR wrote:
camprn wrote:Hi Norm, In prepping my beds for spring planting, I add enough homemade compost to bring the mix level with the top of the box. There is no need to add more Mel's Mix, only compost.

+1. Remember when harvesting a square, add a trowel full of your compost blend as stated in the book

Do we stir it all around or just plop the compost on top?

CC

**RoOsTeR** 3/1/2013, 11:16 am

Mix it in the square you harvested. Gently Wink

CapeCoddess 3/1/2013, 11:35 am

But if I'm going to put compost on this weekend (hopefully) to fill the boxes back up and haven't harvested anything, and the grids are not on there now, I won't be doing it by square but by box.

To mix or to plop, that is the question... thinking

CC

BrotherNorm 3/1/2013, 11:39 am

Very cool. Thanks for the replies.

**camprn** 3/1/2013, 11:43 am

CapeCoddess wrote:But if I'm going to put compost on this weekend (hopefully) to fill the boxes back up and haven't harvested anything, and the grids are not on there now, I won't be doing it by square but by box.

To mix or to plop, that is the question...

CC

CC, I take advantage of this time of year and amend the whole box with compost and mix everything up. The grid is a planting guide. Plant roots go every which way and don't respect the grid. Wink

audrey.jeanne.roberts 3/1/2013, 2:10 pm

I discovered the peat moss doubles its volume when uncompressed issue AFTER I mixed everything up and planted for the winter. I will have to add massive amounts of compost to compensate. I'm already seeing yellowing leaves in the spring plants so I've added blood meal as a quick nitrogen source.

My compost isn't ready yet so I will probably have to mix some more commercially bought mix to tide me over until it is.

Live and learn.... Fortunately the depth of my boxes are twice as tall as needed so they'll just be a deeper planting mix.

Sponsored content

Amending the previous years mix

Amending the previous years mix

Re: Amending the previous years mix

Re: Amending the previous years mix

Re: Amending the previous years mix

Re: Amending the previous years mix

Re: Amending the previous years mix

Re: Amending the previous years mix

Re: Amending the previous years mix

Re: Amending the previous years mix

Re: Amending the previous years mix

Re: Amending the previous years mix


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.