I recently filled my raised garden beds with a premium soil mix and added soil pep to improve drainage and aeration because it works well for my indoor plants. However, due to how the truck was loaded, I think I may have added too much soil pep to one of my beds. The premium soil blend consists of peat, small chips, a quarter composted manure, and it supposedly contains fertilizer too. I've been adding compost all winter and even included large pieces of wood at the bottom, creating a hugelkultur setup. I'm a bit worried because I'm uncertain if I buried enough greens, and I'm also concerned that the wood might steal nitrogen from the soil and affect my plants, especially in the bed with a higher amount of soil pep. I'm set to move my plants outside on June 1st. Any thoughts or experiences you can share?
2 Answers
You're right to be cautious about the nitrogen, but just know that the wood will primarily sap nitrogen from the soil in the area it's in direct contact with. As long as you amend your beds well every season, your plants should be fine. Don’t stress too much; it’ll all break down over time and won’t be an issue. If you’ve got a good mix on top, you should be alright!
Soil pep is basically a soil amendment meant to enhance aeration and drainage. Since you added so much, just keep an eye on your plants this growing season. If they seem to struggle, you might need to add potential natural fertilizers, especially in the early stages of your hugel bed. Bat guano can give that nitrogen boost if needed!
Thanks for the reassurance! I might shift some chips to another bed if it comes to that. Fingers crossed for this season!