Here I am a day before Good Friday, and I am all ready to plant with my little tomatoes, peppers, squash, and marigolds waiting for me at the back step. This is my second year gardening, and I have used the same plot, but rotated the position of the crops. I have terrible soil. It's very sandy and acidic. I have pulled all my brassicas from my early spring planting (they all went to seed - I had better luck with them in the fall, but the warmer weather was not good for them,) and in their place I want to put my tomatoes. In a separate area, I want to put my peppers and squash. I completely limed the plot in Feb. and put out compost. I had some problems last year with end rot on my watermelons, tomatoes and peppers when I didn't lime, but put down black cow, peat moss, and compost. So, here I am - soil is raked of weeds and old plants, I am in possession of one bag of black hen, a partially composted compost pile, and some peat moss. I am trying not to use chemical fertilizers. Last year I mixed up the black cow, compost, and peat moss in a wheelbarrow, dumped it over the plot and raked it into the soil. I am not sure if that is the best method for applying fertilizer. For the early spring planting, I planted the seeds and then put compost on top. I got many peanuts, tomatoes, squash and watermelon plants coming up because the seeds had stayed in the compost over the winter!

What is the best fertilizer for summer crops? Can I use my black hen or do I need something else? Is the nitrogen good? What is the best method for getting it down?

Thanks!