Solitary chicken - need advice

[chickweed]

When is the best time of year to apply garden compost to a vegetable plot?

 

I have a load that has been brewing for 12 months now. I applied a load last autumn but I was wondering whether spring would be better. My garden soil is very light and dries out really quickly.

[sjp]

if you're digging it in then any time between now and spring or you could use it as a mulch then just spread it around the plants late spring early summer best do when the soil is still wet as it will hold in the moisture if done on dry ground it will keep it dry

[chickweed]

Thanks sjp

 

I think I will dig it in soon, as I might be short of time in the Spring.

[TAJ]

I just pile it on the beds about Feb, then let the hens out to scratch it in for me - they are very good at sorting out the odd teaspoon, etc that seem to get disposed of by accident!

 

Tracy

[chickenanne]

I have heavy clay soil, so I dig it in and leave the frost to work its magic on soil texture. I think the problem with adding it to very free-draining /sandy soil now is that a lot of the nutrients will be washed out by spring.

Clay soil is better at holding onto nutrients (the soil particles are very fine so they clag together without so much air space between them, hence the disgusting plasticine texture, but it does have the one advantage of nutrient holding).

 

Would swop your sand for my clay anytime though!