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Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Add Compost to a Raised Bed Not More Soil Mix

This is your scenario:

Your raised bed is 1 to 2 years old.. Your raised beds were filled with a soil mix that contains compost. Maybe the soil mix was one of ours like Premium Garden Soil Mix, Rejuvenate Soil Mix Or Tomato Lady Soil Mix. Should I add anything now before the new growing season?


A. Yes, you should be adding 100% compost, not more soil mix.

Why? 
Because soil mixes contain mostly sand and compost. Premium soil mixes contain other ingredients such as kelp meal and other goodies. The compost part of the soil mix "dissolves" and disappears as it feeds the plants, earthworms and microorganisms in your raised beds. The compost in a soil mix needs to be renewed every year, not the sand. The sand part of the soil mix will always be there. Adding a soil mix to your raised bed adds more sand which is not needed.

Which compost?
Viragrow carries two types of composts. Viragrow Compost is designated as an EQ compost by the EPA. Viragrow's BF Compost contains absolutely NO biosolids. The choice is up to you. Viragrow offers both. What are biosolids?  Viragrow's BF Compost costs about 50 cents more per cubic foot
Biosolid-Free (BF) Compost from Viragrow
for a biosolid-free option.

How much?
Every year add a 1 inch layer of compost to the surface of your raised bed. If it has been two years or more, add 2 inches. Mix or rototill this compost layer into your soil mix thoroughly before planting. This addition of compost renews the organic component of your soil mix without adding more bulky sand.

This chart helps you calculate how much compost to order for your raised beds. Find the depth of compost you need at the top of the chart (1 or 2 inches). Then follow the column down to the closest square footage of your raised beds. Lastly, follow the row to the left to determine how many cubic yards are needed. There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard.
Viragrow Delivers!

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