Compost

     I think I have huffed and puffed about pruning long enough for one season. Besides, it is now that time of year where I am too busy to think, let alone opine in public.


     We have now passed the average last frost date in our area, and that means all but the most tender stuff can be planted without a lot of worry. It is like playing the black at roulette now, without any of the anxiety involved with playing a number. So all of us with cabin fever want to get out there and start new life in the plant kingdom.


     Part of my job is to try to convince you to put off that exciting planting day and do boring stuff instead. Especially if you are planting an entire bed, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to improve your soil without tearing up all your plant roots.


     The soil around Chicago, at least on the Illinois side, is some of the best anywhere, provided some construction crew has not destroyed it. But is has two features that make it less than perfect: it is a heavy clay and it tends to be alkaline. Native plants have no problem with this, but many other plants do, including vegetables.


     The first and central amendment that everyone can use is compost. It is almost impossible to put too much compost in your yard. In fact, if you ever have to fill a low spot, please do not ever add "topsoil." Most commercial topsoil has been sifted through a screen to remove rocks and twigs and to make it soft and crumbly. But it only takes a couple of rains and a few footsteps for it to turn into that same old clay we know and love. Instead, get a blend of topsoil and compost...and then add more compost on top. With all that organic matter, you should expect the soil to settle a bit over time, so spread it slightly higher than you want it to end up.


     Compost breaks down over time and adds nutrients to the planting zone, as well as providing a good environment for all sorts of beneficial organisms in the soil. With enough compost added, you will not have to use commercial fertilizer at all.


     Moreover, all those bits and pieces create little voids around them that allow air and water to penetrate the clay and improves drainage as well as allowing more nutrients to reach plant roots.


     I can pontificate on this subject as much as on pruning. But if the clients now waiting  for me  caught me spending too much time scribbling,  their patience would evaporate, and I would be in big trouble.