Marianne's Response

Is scarecrow compost too strong for vegetable plants?

I am putting in raised beds for a vegetable garden, I filled them with scarecrow compost from g e & b nursery. I put in plant starts and seeds for cucumber, spinach, arugula, kale etc. I notice that they aren’t really growing, they get yellow or white leaves and then the leaves fall off. The seeds have sprouted and seem to be growing but I see the secondary leaves turning white. Is my soil too “hot”? Is scarecrow compost not good enough alone? Do I need to add some soil to this compost? I also have tomatoes and sunflowers, but it’s not too late to try to add something to the compost, I hope. I don’t want to loose what I put in … please help! Thanks!!

Posted by Susan Barnett on May 14, 2015

Marianne's Response

Do the leaves from all the seedlings turn white? Indeed, your compost may be too \"hot\" and may need to be mixed with regular soil. Warm season plants such as cucumber and tomato may also turn white from cold weather. In most cases you should work compost into the soil instead of planting in pure compost. A blend of half compost and half sandy soil is about right but use less compost if your soil is very wet or full of clay. I would mix in some sandy loam and replant in a few weeks. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti

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