Garden Compost Recipe #5

Nutrient Density Matters

Some gardeners grow for a pastime; others grow for the peace of mind in knowing that the produce they have grown is the best available for the health of their families. Recipe #5 is formulated for the premier gardener. We begin with 40% composted bark, then add silt, sands and manure based composts. Once the media is composed we fortify it with fish hydrolysate (cold processed), micronized cold water kelp, a naturally derived trace mineral package, an enzyme package, mycorrhizal fungi inoculum, nitrogen-fixing bacteria inoculum, a touch of molasses, soft rock phosphate, calcium, sulphur, and a humic and folvic acid package. The result is a nutrient-rich loam compost that is superior in every way.

Since the mid 1940's food mineral concentrations in the United States have been documented to have fallen by as much as 60%. Recipe #5 in an effort to take us back.

If food is medicine then we do ourselves well to grow the healthiest produce we can. Most gardeners can notice a difference between the tomato made available to us in the winter season by the supermarket and the summer tomato grown in one's own garden. Are you able to notice an equally large difference between the tomatoes of an average summer garden and a nutrient rich garden? For further thoughts, research our magazine articles on the subject or visit with Jon Frank at highbrixgardens.com.

170
00

1-5 cubic yards purchased

Compost

140
00

6 plus yards, volume discount

Compost

The guesswork has been taken out.

Expensive, hard to find amendments, premeasured and blended into a compost that you can take back to your garden and be successful.

Benefits of Garden Compost Recipe #5

  • Free of weed seeds
  • Expensive, hard-to-find amendments preblended
  •      (fish hydrolysate, kelp, soft rock phosphate, Azomite, biological inoculants...)
  • Balance of  NUTRIENTS
  • Biologically active
  • High in organic matter, loosens soil
  • Increased water-holding capacity for soil
  • Fine texture, easily handled with a shovel (1/2" minus)
  • A fool-proof way to begin growing the best

Recommended Uses

  • Use in areas where the crop will be eaten.
  • Vegetable gardens
  • Fruit trees
  • Berry patches
  • Herb gardens

Directions for Use

Confirmation - Be sure to cross reference the product on your receipt of purchase to confirm you are reading the directions for use of the correct product.

Location of use - Garden Compost Recipe #5 is a soil amendment and therefore has many uses. These uses include, but are not limited to, vegetable and herb gardens, flower beds, preparing for turf (sod or seed) and topdressing turf, tree planting, topdressing trees and berry bushes.

Gardens and flower beds - Depth recommendations for gardens and flower beds vary between 1 - 4". Wherein this parameter a particular garden will follow depends upon the history of the garden (new plots require more than established plots) and the depth of incorporation of the Garden Compost #5 (the deeper the compost is incorporated into the existing soil, the greater the amount of material within the recommendation). If you are planning to till the compost to a shallow depth (2"), then add only a small amount of compost (1"). If you are planning to till the compost deeper (10" - 12"), then add a maximum amount of compost (5"). In a vegetable or herb garden, never exceed a 50/50 mix ratio of existing soil to compost. If you are incorporating other amendments (leaves, grass clippings, etc.) at the same time, calculate them in as a part of the compost in the ratio.

Turf establishment (sod or seed) - Garden Compost #5 is not recommended for turf establishment. We regard it as overkill, but if it where to be used on grass the results would be very impressive. Depth recommendations for turf vary between 1 - 4". Wherein this parameter a particular lawn planting project follows depends upon the depth of incorporation of the compost into the existing soil. The deeper the compost is incorporated into the existing soil, the greater the amount of Garden Compost #5 within the recommendation. If you are planning to till the compost to a shallow depth (2"), then add only a small amount of compost (1"). If you are planning to till the compost deeper (8" - 10"), then add a maximum amount of compost (4"). In a planting sod or grass seed, never exceed a 50/50 mix ratio of existing soil to Garden Compost #5. If you are incorporating other amendments (leaves, grass clippings, etc.) at the same time, calculate them in as a part of the compost in the ratio. 

      When determining how deep to till, keep in mind that that the deeper you push the compost down into the soil profile, the larger (greater volume) your root zone will be. This is to say that you will be establishing a larger root zone that will be a key contributing factor for water savings in the years to come. By tilling the compost as deeply as possible, you are blending a greater volume of soil that will gradually grow into a spongy topsoil where your turf will thrive on less water and less fertilizer than your neighbor's lawn. I often recommend to customers preparing for planting grass, "Just when you are fed up with tilling, tired, and dirty; till the yard one more time and then sit down on the patio and drink a cold lemonade." The one last effort to push the compost down deeper will pay dividends for many years to come.

     Note for turf - If you fail to incorporate the Garden Compost #5 into your existing soil, your sod or seed will still be OK. Garden Compost #5 is not a soil, it is meant to amend an existing soil; therefore, it should be tilled in to the appropriate depth for the amount that is used. Garden Compost #5 is well balanced and should not burn your seed or sod, however inorder to achieve your best results, appropriate tilling is recommended. Just as we don't plant directly into ammonium sulfate, we discourage planting directly into compost. If tilling is difficult or not desired, please use one of our fool-proof soils. These can be planted into directly with superior results.

     Note for turf - Be sure to spread the Garden Compost #5 evenly over the entire area that you will be planting with grass. Oftentimes we dump a load of compost in the center of where the new lawn will be. There is a danger of leaving an excessive amount of compost where the truck dumped and having only a trace of compost spread in the farthest corner of the yard. Consistent spreading is key for a consistent result.

Topdressing turf - Depth recommendations for topdressing turf are 1/4" broadcast over the top of the turf. The Garden Compost #5 is fertile and will give a boost of organic nutrients and biology at this low application rate. A good measure of what 1/4" looks like in growing grass is this: when you first begin to see the compost in the grass, you have reached 1/4" of depth. Generally 1/4" is the amount of compost that will fall between the grass blades and go unnoticed, therefore not disturbing the grass' photosynthesis. We do not recommend going deeper than 1/4" because at this point the grass begins to starve for light. As I learned the hard way, grass stops growing when it is covered up. Don't make the same mistake I did; stop when you first begin to see the compost in the grass. We recommend tossing the compost with a common shovel for the easiest effort. For further ideas on topdressing turf with compost, see "Turf Rejuvenation" on the products and prices menu.

Tree planting - The amount recommendation for tree planting is 35% of the volume of material put back into the tree's hole. Garden Compost #5 is fertile and therefore we do not recommend exceeding this amount. Be sure to mix it well with the whole of the soil that you are using to backfill the tree. If you have any carbonaceous organic matter available, we recommend using an additional 15% of that.  Good examples of carbonaceous organic matter are decomposing mulch, decomposing leaves, etc. Trees enjoy soils rich in organic matter, but do not thrive in an excess of nutrients that too much of an unbalanced or hot compost will bring with it. If you are looking for a compost to use in excess of 20% in tree planting, consider our Composted Bark, Garden Compost Recipe #5, or our Fertile Mulch.

Tree and berry topdressing - Nutrients and biology can be easily made available to trees or berries by using Garden Compost #5. Depth recommendations for tree and berry topdressing vary between 1/4 - 2". The use within this recommendation would vary depending on which other fertilizers you are planning to use for those trees or berries during the growing season. If Garden Compost #5 is the only fertilization used in many years, error on the heavy side; however, if other fertilizers are in the plan for this year, then error on the lighter side. Incorporation is optional when topdressing trees and berries. If you do incorporate the Compost, be sure not to damage the existing roots of your plant. When you top dress or incorporate the compost into the top few inches of soil, biology and water will take the nutrients down into the root zone.