need specific advice on MM

danieggert 3/23/2023, 10:02 am

Hi all,

After several weeks, I have all of my compost and peat sifted, and the vermiculite is happy in its bag.

Tomorrow, Friday, I will be combining the three and putting into my beds to settle before planting in May, I will be using the 5-gallon method of adding several buckets of each in a very large wheelbarrow, mixing thoroughly, and placing in my bed. I have several questions to ask and would hope someone could answer each of the 3 of them specifically. I will be babysitting spring break grandkids all next week and will not be home. I want to be done with this part before the babysitting stint so that I can concentrate on seed starting when I come back.

Thank you in advance for your time and for always be there to offer advice

1. Spring in Chicago, rain will be coming. When I put my first layer of MM down, do I really need to water? I don't mind doing it, but if the collective rain in the next month and a half will accomplish the same end, I would skip that step. Again, I don't mind watering but I don't want to make extra work for my self.

2. I know that I purchased more than enough different compost to make the 12 CF I need. When I look at the 2 containers holding the sifted compost, I don't know it I can get the 18 5-gallon buckets I need out of them. I know that the compost is heavier than the peat and somewhat compresses itself. When I fill my buckets, do I "fluff" the compost a bit so it is not so dense in the buckets?

3. I have 2 - 4' x 8' raised beds I made 5 years ago. One is going to be for veggies and the other for flowers. According to the book, I need 6.5" of MM in each bed. If I place tomorrow and it settles to less than that, I would assume I would need to add more. So my question here is, should I use the bulk of my MM in the veggie garden (which is the most important to me) and save the rest for adding after settling? I could make more MM later for the flowers

Dani from Burr Ridge

OhioGardener 3/23/2023, 11:45 am

danieggert wrote:1. Spring in Chicago, rain will be coming. When I put my first layer of MM down, do I really need to water? I don't mind doing it, but if the collective rain in the next month and a half will accomplish the same end, I would skip that step. Again, I don't mind watering but I don't want to make extra work for my self.

Yes. Dry peat is/becomes hydrophobic and will repel water. You do not want it to ever dry out once it is moistened. Fully moisten each layer as it is added to the bed. Otherwise the peat at the lower level will likely never become moistened.

2. I know that I purchased more than enough different compost to make the 12 CF I need. When I look at the 2 containers holding the sifted compost, I don't know it I can get the 18 5-gallon buckets I need out of them. I know that the compost is heavier than the peat and somewhat compresses itself. When I fill my buckets, do I "fluff" the compost a bit so it is not so dense in the buckets?

No, only the peat needs to be fluffed. Shovel the compost into the 5-gallon bucket as it is, pour the Vermiculite into the bucket right out of the bag, and shuffle the fluffed peat into the bucket. You'll have good measurements.

3. I have 2 - 4' x 8' raised beds I made 5 years ago. One is going to be for veggies and the other for flowers. According to the book, I need 6.5" of MM in each bed. If I place tomorrow and it settles to less than that, I would assume I would need to add more. So my question here is, should I use the bulk of my MM in the veggie garden (which is the most important to me) and save the rest for adding after settling? I could make more MM later for the flowers

My preference, and my humble opinion is that flowers do not need MM, and it makes an expensive flower bed. If the bed will not be used for vegetables, there is no need to put MM in it. That said, in all of my beds I interplant flowers with the vegetables, and they all use the same growth medium.

plantoid 3/23/2023, 6:43 pm

Flowers love well made MM , compared the colours of next door daffs when she had them was no chance against the vibrant colours of mine. same with all the flowers both pretty ones and those on veg & fruits.

**sanderson** 3/25/2023, 3:42 am

+1

What OG and Plantoid both said.

1. Wet each layer
2. Measure peat moss fluffed. Just naturally measure out the composts and vermiculite.
3. Prioritize: Use the MM in the veggie bed. But, flowers do love MM so maybe next year or in the fall, you fill the flower bed with MM also. That way you can mix and match veggies and cutting or color spot flowers.

Sponsored content

need specific advice on MM

need specific advice on MM

Re: need specific advice on MM

Re: need specific advice on MM

Re: need specific advice on MM

Re: need specific advice on MM


	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.