Using Compost as a Soil Amendment

Compost can be used to enrich garden beds before planting annuals, ground covers, shrubs and trees.

In flower and vegetable beds and ground covers:

• Dig or till base soil to an 8 to 10 inch depth.
• Mix 1 to 4 inches of compost through the entire depth. In established gardens, mix 1 to 3 inches of compost into the top 6 to 10 inches of soil each year before planting.

On lawns:

• Till base soil to a 6 to 12 inch depth.
• Mix 1 to 2 inches of finely textured compost into the loosened base soil.

Around trees and shrubs:

• Dig or till base soil to a minimum 8 to 10 inch depth throughout planting area, or in areas 2 to 5 times the width of the root ball of individual specimens.
• Mix 1 to 4 inches of compost through the entire depth.
• Do not use compost at the bottom of individual planting holes or to fill the holes. Mulch the surface with wood chips or coarse compost.