I have a small garden with three raised beds, and I made a rookie mistake by using a compost mix that I thought would be perfect. It looked like regular potting soil, so I thought it would be an upgrade. I ended up dumping a ton of it—around 2000 liters—into the beds and planted some seeds. But now, nothing is growing! After doing some research, I discovered that you can't plant seeds in pure compost because of issues with pH levels. I'm worried about how full the beds are and really don't want to remove all that compost. Is there any way to make my soil ready for planting without having to take it all out?
2 Answers
That’s a bit surprising! Typically, pure compost is great for plants, especially for hungry ones like squash or watermelon. You might be facing other issues affecting germination, like moisture levels or light requirements. Make sure you’re giving the seeds enough water, and consider if they need light or darkness to start growing. Don’t stress too much about the compost; it might just be other factors at play.
No worries! You can just add a layer of regular organic potting mix on top of the compost. This way, your plants can benefit from the nutrients below as their roots reach down. Just keep some space from the edges of the beds. It's great that you're willing to work with what you've got! If you have some pictures, that could help clarify things further.