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Compost
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Date Posted: Fri, Mar 18 - 8:48 pm
- Hello, I tried container gardening last year for the first time and really loved it. I’m looking to try again this year. I’ve collected a lot of free pots over the year, and have a good amount of space outside for them, but I am low income and can’t afford to buy more than a few bags of potting soil. Do you know of any cheap or free soil or compost give away programs in richmond? I can’t compost myself here because I live in a apartment that is susceptible to roaches.
- Hello there, So glad to hear you're planting in containers. It's amazing how well that can work. While there is no public resource for free or cheap compost (hopefully someday....) I reached out to the other Master Gardeners and a couple of them are happy to share some of their own. If you email me at jrreilly2323@gmail.com, I can send you the contact information for the individuals that have compost to share. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
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Raised beds - yellowing leaves
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 17 - 8:41 pm
- I created new raised beds and filled them with Miracle Grow Raised Bed soil combined with mushroom compost. All of my plants have yellow leaves. The soil should be provided the necessary nutrients, and I was wondering if the weather might be part of it? Can you give me an idea of what I should do? Thank you
- Hello - interesting question. The first thing that comes to mind is your soil. It sounds like you have created a very rich soil for your new plants. Typically, yellowing leaves can indicate a nutrient deficiency, and/or the soil is too wet. As you know, mushroom compost does a good job of soaking up a lot of water and helps keep soil moist. It is also nutrient-rich, and contains a high degree of soluble salts. I’m wondering if your ratio of mushroom compost to soil is too high. The mushroom compost should make up about 1/4 of the total volume of the soil. If your soil is too concentrated and the plants are seedlings or are very young, this may result in your plants dying. The soil may actually be too rich for them. Also make sure your soil is not staying too wet. It should be allowed to dry before adding water. Good luck, and let us know if we can help further!