ultamate depth of compost

[vegypete]

hi ya i wish to get my beds ready for next year by covering with news paper, then well rotted manure and or compost what is the ultumate depth of compost to stop weed growth and be in a condition ready for planting out next year, i will be using potting compost in drills for seed sowing………pete

[charles]

 If you have perennial weeds such as couch grass, you need more compost than if it is simply annuals such as chickweed, groundsell and annual grasses. I can’t give a precise figure to fit all situations, and it also depends when the mulch is put down. You are doing well to plan ahead so there is time for weeds to die down and for slug numbers to lessen underneath as the greenery rots away.
Say anything form two to six inches, as a one-off in clearing and enriching soil. In succeeding years you will be able to keep beds anbd paths entirely Weed Free and need just an inch or two of compost each autumn or winter.

[vegypete]

thanks charles, just need to calculate how mutch compost i need for my growing beds,i thought as its been a bad year on my plot growing veg the trad way i would cut my loses and prepare early for next year,i had good results with spuds 1earlys runner beans are doing well courgets lettuce and carrots, but the brasicas are not doing so good, onions and garlic were ok, in hind sight i think i turned all the good soil over, so in theory all the goodnes is at the bottom, you live and learn…….pete

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