Planning ahead - dirt

[Bowsnbucks]

Woodduck - I'd have to believe the bagged mush. compost is aged. Otherwise it would be hot & steaming and swelling the bags with gas from decomposing. I think you'd be safe buying the bagged stuff if that's your only source. I mix it into every planting hole with the native topsoil. Never lost a tree, & they all thrived.

 

[woodduck]

Thanks Bowsnbucks, I looked around at my local Home Depot Sunday real quick for some because the website said they had it in stock but I didn't see any. I would like to contact some local nurseries and see what turns up there as well.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If you can't get mushroom compost, go for the composted manure. I have a Home Depot 3 minutes from my home and they always seem to have composted manure in bags. That would be good too. Mushroom compost is rotted manure, straw, wood shavings, etc. I just have mush. compost real handy here in S.E. Pa. - many mushroom houses around here. Nothing wrong with bagged composted manure !!

 

[woodduck]

Its funny, I've been doing a lot of reading about apple trees the last couple of years .... rootstocks, DR varieties, pollination, drop times, pruning, training, spacing, caging and so on but put no thought into composting at planting time.... always just used a slow release fertilizer pack along side planting hole. That's why I like this forum.....always something to learn. Thanks again Bowsnbucks, if the mush doesn't work out I'll grab some composted manure.