How to enhance commercial compost / soil

 
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Trixi Agrios
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Hi Andrew and Group:
I need more quality compost to improve the soil in my flower gardens and under the fruit trees and am wondering if you have a formula for a quick fix / enhancement to the soils and mulches I can buy locally on the North Shore. I am going to run out if the aged compost I bought from you and I don’t have enough of my own.
I don’t think our soil is too bad but I don’t see too many worms either and so would like to add 4” of a good mix to enhance it. I looked at a GARDEN MIX comprised of 60% Soil(Composted Green Waste) / 25% Sand / 15% Tri-Blend Manure. They are a reseller for Augustine Soil and Mulch and it looks pretty good but I am not sure. On Augustine’s site they list a number of micro nutrients they’ve added to the soil. What can I do to enhance it further?
I have Bio-Char and C-90. My seedlings are in Living Soil and I will be planting new plants with vermicompost.

Thank you!
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Andrew
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This is a great question.

My recommendation for anyone wanting to use lower quality composts is to use a high quality vermicompost at transplant getting it into the root zone (rhizosphere) of each plant. This will effectively inoculate the lower quality compost with beneficial and diverse microbes which combined with the plant's activity (trading sugars through exudates feeding and growing the microbes in the vermicompost) will cause a flurry of life in the soil which will travel into and engage what food / workers exist in the lower quality compost.

Another way to blend higher and lower quality composts together. For example I would blend 1 yard of a premium compost with 4 yards of a lower quality compost and then use together. Alternatively doing a lasanga technique when building a raised bed doing layers of composts, ensuring that the premium ends up in a "band" or "layer" approximately where your plants will be rooting.

Biochar should only be applied AFTER its been charged. We charge biochar by blending it with something living like a compost and letting it sit for a few weeks.

Sea-90 can be applied to any compost to improve its trace mineral and elemental properties! See Seaagri.com for application rates.
Trixi Agrios
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Thanks Andrew, this give me a lot of options. I am going to use all three methods. 1. Plant with more Vermicompost. 2. In the larger grow bags I’ll blend the compost together, i have enough to do a 50/50 mix. 3. I’ll use the lasagna technique where I need more more soil leaving the good compost at root level.
I’ll also spray the lot with the compost tea recipe you just posted on IG. ..and then cross my fingers that the rain will stop soon.
Have a good pi day. Trixi
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