I'm beginning to suspect that my compost might be causing some problems in my veggie garden this year. I live in Zone 8b, Oregon, in the Willamette Valley. The weather has been a bit all over the place, but now it's consistently above 50°F at night and peaking in the 70s, 80s, and even 90s during the day. I hurriedly set up my garden beds this year and chose bulk compost from a local place, which claims to be "Organic garden compost" that's perfect for veggies—it's even OMRI listed and certified by the US composting council. I filled all my beds with it instead of just using a top layer. I put down cardboard, some decomposing wood, and yard debris before adding the compost. However, a few of my plants are struggling. I've sown seeds that didn't sprout, and when I replanted some Swiss chard, only one made an appearance. My tomatoes, green beans, and peppers seem to be stunted, while my squash isn't coming up at all. Strangely, some plants are doing great, like my sunflowers, a pumpkin, and a melon. Could the compost be to blame, or am I just being too impatient since the weather just started warming up?
1 Answer
It sounds like the compost is part of the issue, but not for the reasons you might think. Compost is great as a soil amendment, but it doesn't replace actual soil. Your plants need a mix of compost along with some real soil to grow well. Without a good soil base, they won't thrive as you expect.
I was worried about that! Is there any way to fix this without uprooting everything?