Request for comments

[gar_newbie]

Hi Everyone,

First time gardener from Ohio need your help. TIA.

I am planning for vegetable plants in a wooden boxes of size 4 foot x

4 foot x 8 inches (=3D~ 11 cubic foot). Four of these boxes makes 45 cubic foot approximately.

I filled these four boxes with the soil less medium as following: Coarse Vermiculite =96 15 cubic foot Sphagnum Peat Moss =96 15 cubic foot `Compost kind of` =96 15 cubic foot (1 cubic foot each of below)

I have searched 50+ of garden centers locally (zip code: 45040) and couldn't find so called =93COMPOST=94. For next year I will be preparing my own compost so this question won't arise. But, to begin my first/ fresh vegetable garden; in the place of compost I used the following mix. I mixed them *VERY* thorough spending a week.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Question: is the following mix 'OK' to begin my garden? Am I sort of something here? Am I going to kill the plants with Over dosage? Any other suggestions/ideas to help myself is greatly appreciated. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

My `Compost kind of` - 15 cubic foot is:

1.Mother Nature's =96 SWEET PEET =96 Composted soil conditioner =96 1 cubic foot 2.Nea's =96 POSY POWER =96 Powerful soil booster =96 1 cubic foot 3.Premier Horticulture =96 PRO MIX =96 Growing mix =96 1 cubic foot 4.Nature's Helper =96 MUSHROOM COMPOST =96 Organic soil =96 1 cubic foot 5.Garden Magic =96 COMPOST AND MANURE =96 Peat & Manure =96 1 cubic foot 6.Ace =96 COMPOSTED MANURE =96 Loosens soil =96 1 cubic foot 7.New Plant Life =96 MUSHROOM COMPOST SOIL =96 Soil amendment - 1 cubic foot 8.Garden Scape =96 PEAT HUMUS =96 Decomposed Organic =85 - 1 cubic foot 9.Garden Scape =96 COW MANURE =96 will not burn =96 1 cubic foot 10.Organic Valley =96 HUMUS =96 ready to use =96 1 cubic foot 11.Organic Valley =96 COW MANURE PLUS ORGANIC COMPOST =96 Ready to use =96 = 1 cubic foot 12.Organic Valley =96 ORGANIC COMPOST PLUS MANURE =96 Compost & manure =96 = 1 cubic foot 13.Garick =96 MOO NURE =96 Organic Compost with Cow Manure =96 1 cubic foot 14.Country Stone =96 COMPOSTED COW MANURE =96 Soil conditioner =96 1 cubic foot 15.Earth Gro =96 ORGANIC HUMUS AND MANURE =96 Soil amendment =96 1 cubic foot

Thanks & Regards Ganesh

In detail (if you are still reading this post ;-) ) Assuming the product is what the cover says.

1.Mother Nature's =96 SWEET PEET =96 Composted soil conditioner =96 1 cubic foot Organic material made from wood shavings, farm manure & plant fibers (USCC)

2.Nea's =96 POSY POWER =96 Powerful soil booster =96 1 cubic foot All Organic: Horse manure, sphagnum Peat, Brewer's Grain, Gypsum & lime

0.7% 0.45% 1.0%

3.Premier Horticulture =96 PRO MIX =96 Growing mix =96 1 cubic foot Compost Enrich (from shrimp, seaweed, softwood bark), Microrise inside, Sphagnum Peat Moss, Peat Humus (OMRI)

4.Nature's Helper =96 MUSHROOM COMPOST =96 Organic soil =96 1 cubic foot

5.Garden Magic =96 COMPOST AND MANURE =96 Peat & Manure =96 1 cubic foot Reed sedge Peat, Manure

0.1% 0.1% 0.1%

6.Ace =96 COMPOSTED MANURE =96 Loosens soil =96 1 cubic foot

0.5% 0.5% 0.5%

7.New Plant Life =96 MUSHROOM COMPOST SOIL =96 Soil amendment - 1 cubic foot

8.Garden Scape =96 PEAT HUMUS =96 Decomposed Organic =85 - 1 cubic foot A decomposed organic forest peat fiber

9.Garden Scape =96 COW MANURE =96 will not burn =96 1 cubic foot

1% 1% 1%

10.Organic Valley =96 HUMUS =96 ready to use =96 1 cubic foot

11.Organic Valley =96 COW MANURE PLUS ORGANIC COMPOST =96 Ready to use =96 = 1 cubic foot 0.05% 0.05% 0.05% (USCC)

12.Organic Valley =96 ORGANIC COMPOST PLUS MANURE =96 Compost & manure =96 =

1 cubic foot 0.05% 0.05% 0.05%

13.Garick =96 MOO NURE =96 Organic Compost with Cow Manure =96 1 cubic foot

0.2% 0.2% 0.2% (USCC)

14.Country Stone =96 COMPOSTED COW MANURE =96 Soil conditioner =96 1 cubic foot Cow manure, Peat and Humus

0.05% 0.05% 0.05%

15.Earth Gro =96 ORGANIC HUMUS AND MANURE =96 Soil amendment =96 1 cubic foot

90% organic humus (peat, compost, forest products) and 10% manure 0.05% 0.05% 0.05%

[gardengal]

I swore I'd answered this post, but my response hasn't not materialized :-) Perhaps I addressed it to the author rather than to the forum and it went directly to him via email......I have that problem now and again!

gar_newbie, if you did not receive my response, let me know and I'll repost. As I stated in it, I think you may have some problems with your 'mix' going forward.

[Billy]

Your final mix should be about 20% clay 20% -30% sand. You may want to pulverize (as best you can) a bag of charcoal (not briquettes) and throw it in as well.

[gar_newbie]

cubic foot each of below)

ll be preparing

=C2=AD 1 cubic

to use =C2=AD 1

manure =C2=AD 1

=AD 1 cubic foot

=C2=AD 1 cubic

=C2=AD 1 cubic

to use =C2=AD 1

manure =C2=AD 1

=AD 1 cubic foot

=C2=AD 1 cubic

I think I didn't understand the MEL's mix the way its actual intention is.

Based on the book 'square foot gardening' by 'mel bartholomew'

MEL's mix is:

1/3 Peat Moss 1/3 Coarse Vermiculite 1/3 Compost (from Various sources)

Whenever I visited a garden store in the search of 'COMPOST'- I Just bought one bag of whatever is available with them. (to ensure various sources)

The boxes are sitting on the ground just on top of weed protector cloth.

Thanks Ganesh

[Billy]

Is there a question?

[dr-solo]