Garden Tip 118:

Over the past few years I have found that top dressing really does make a difference. Now, I am not talking about donning a shirt or a blouse here, I am talking about adding beneficial compost to the garden and around the root zones of plants.

Compost is decaying organic matter and comes in many different forms, from leaf compost gathered at the local municipal leaf dump to bags that can be purchased at your nearby garden center. Bagged selections can include chicken or cow manure, crustacean shells blended with peat and manure, enriched topsoil and more.

Whatever your flavor, your plants will respond. Compost aids in water retention, nutrient availability and aeration. Add compost to underperforming plants, those that were set back by this winter’s deep freeze, or any special treasures that deserve a boost. It is not a big job. Top dressing is simply that, adding compost to the top of the soil and letting Mother Nature do the rest. Problem areas and problem plants should get dressed!