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Soil structure is not automatically present in compost or soil. It comes over time from not disturbing the ground. The soil you build on top of has existing structure, and the new compost will not. But the longer the compost sits undisturbed, the more structure it will gain. Soil structure is formed by fungus, animals, and microbes rearranging the particles in the ground. Digging interrupts that and makes the process begin again. Soil structure can act as conduits for roots to grow through and find nutrients.
These same organisms that make soil structure are also breaking things down and releasing nutrients to the plants. This includes the organic matter in the compost and mineral rocks in the soil. The organic matter breaks down and releases its nutrients faster than the rocks release their minerals, but they are both continually breaking down. The minerals in the soil are becoming more available, just at a much slower rate than the compost is. Finely milling it with a machine slightly speeds this process up, some organic fertilizers are just ground up rock. Some synthetic fertilizers take this rock and treat it with acids to break it down into pure molecules that are quickly available.
The undisturbed soil isn’t bad or unavailable. Think of it as a reservoir.
I’ve never had anything cook under fleece. Under solid plastic, yes. But not under fleece. It’s breathable. I use fleece as pest control even in the middle of summer.
Even if the plastic does heat up enough to kill microbes, after the plastic is removed the microbes quickly re-colonize from the surrounding soil. So long term, it’s not a problem.
No compost is “rich” in nutrients compared to fertilizer. Fertilizers are concentrated – sort of like “nutritional supplements” for plants, compost is “whole food” for the plants. Plants don’t just need nutrients and minerals, they also need microzhrizae, beneficial organisms, and soil structure.
Straw or sawdust is added to balance out the strong manure used in commercial compost. If manure only was used, the microbes wouldn’t be able to break it down into soil. It would become anaerobic (lack oxygen) and you would get a sludge like product, not a soil like product. You need enough brown woody material to make compost happen, but not so much that it doesn’t break down completely. With no “browns” you get a fertilizer, not a compost. Seaweed and fish concentrates are basically this.
With no dig, you still have soil. It’s what you start with, and you lay the compost on top. Even if the compost is pretty thick, veggie roots go down at least 4 feet into the ground. They will reach soil and get all the minerals they need from it. There’s plenty there because minerals stick around for a very long time.
In previous years, I added a little compost to the soil but mostly tried to maintain fertility with organic fertilizers. This year, I’m just adding a 1-2 inch layer of compost and I’m already seeing better results from my veggies than I have in years.
You can have plenty of nutrients in the soil, but if there’s not an intact ecosystem of organisms and soil structure to make it available to the plants, it doesn’t do much good. This is what compost and no dig provides. Compost may not measure high in nutrients in the laboratory, but what nutrients it does have are *highly* available to the plants.
FYI I have been using the cheapest compost I can get my hands on. Some free city compost, some cow/straw manure from a local farm. Not organic, nothing special done to it. As long as it’s not too woody and mulch-like, it’ll work.
Also be careful with liquid fertilizers. Unless you know what you’re doing, most of the fertilizer will probably wash out of the garden beds before the plants are able to use them.
How do you know if your plants are getting the nutrients they need? Watch them grow. If they are deep green, robust and growing well, they have everything they need. You can also do a soil test, but this doesn’t always tell you the whole story. Ultimately your goal is to grow good plants.