Hi There,
A novice question I know....but is it time to add compost to my vegetable beds yet and how long do I have to wait to plant in them after it is added? Can I use mushroom compost or is manure better?
Many thanks
Cripery ;D
It depends on what you are planting in the respective bed and if it has been neglected in recent years.
I only add manure to my spud beds when planting the puds.
I lightly manure my brassica bed the autumn before planting along with plenty of well rotted compost.
I top up the manure around rhubarb, raspberries and strawberries any time now.
I add manure to individual plants such as squash, courgettes when transplanting to their final growing position.
Well rotted compost is added to other beds as and when required. A sprinkling or general fertiliser such as chicken manure will do well a week or two before planting on almost any bed. Give brassicas a boost with the same fertiliser when they have plenty leaves about half way through their growing period.
Thanks for the reply, I am going to do peas, beans and courgettes in the one bed and strawberries in the other. The beds were built new last year and filled with a mixture of top soil and mushroom compost so the soil should be fairly good I guess.... From your reply I guess I could just work in some manure / mushroom compost as I plant then?