Hi Loribee,
You traitor ;-)
If I was a pirate , I would have you walk the plank..... matey ;-)

But Seriously, You have access to great compost and it is cheaper than making it (considering your time has to be worth ....something ;-)

I have considered it, and if I wasn't such a compost whacko/FREAK , I would do the same thing...
You go girl.... and by the way, get the rest of your yard into production, there are hungry people out there.... counting on you.

BTW, I don't have a single weed in my garden PLBBBHHHTTHHH

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Well, considering Jon has that fab composting set up and a tractor to get everything mixed up, I'm kinda with you!
I do make my own compost (I have 2 bins and a tumbler), but it's no where near enough to top off my raised beds (4 4x8, 2 3x6 and 2 3x3) so I do buy some at the "dirt store".
Anytime I'm starting a new bed, I start with a 50-50 load of compost/garden mix from the dirt store.
As you said, it's about $50 or less per every other year.
My compost goes on top on the off years. Nancy

Jon, first Hawaii, now cool ride-em dirt mixing machines. Why must you torture me so??? LOL I still recall the video you did where you sunk your entire arm elbow deep into one of your raised beds. Now, THAT'S impressive. LOL

Nancy, I've been fondly eyeing the Sonoma Compost Company Mallard Plus mix. A few gardeners I know love it, and at about $20 a yard, it seems like a good deal. Is that your "dirt store"? I filled my beds with "veggie mix" from Wheeler Zamaroni, which I've been pretty happy with. But I'm thinking of giving the mallard mix a try to shake things up. It's got duck feathers and brown rice in it. That alone has me pretty curious!

Here is a link that might be useful: my blog

I have several people that consistently come out for 'post and bring me some of their compostables. Yes they do have their own compost bin but: A) they don't make enough, B) they only compost the basics, C) they don't compost in the winter D) they seasonally have too much feedstocks and no place to store it all.

Our 'help yourself' bin in town goes through about a cubic yard of finished compost every two weeks as well.

People sometimes need/like to get extra compost now and then, no big deal.

Lloyd

Oh, and I like the idea of targeting my own compost as an every-other-year kinda thing. That would eliminate all the turning (which brings the weed seeds in) I've been doing to try and speed things up.

I think it's completely acceptable to purchase compost. Not everyone is going to compost on the same scale, have the same garden or fertility needs. I love the process of making compost myself and will always do so but I still purchase some of my own when I don't have any that's finished at that moment it's needed.

Large compost facilities have equipment and scale on their side. A large pile that's turned regularly heats up more so you're more likely to have product that's killed weed seeds. It all depends on what's available to you to use in compost and what your needs are.

I compost the vegetable waste from one local restaurant that I pick up regularly in my car. I'm able to almost produce as much compost as I need for the year. I've taken to worm composting the material and have an additional product in the form of worms that help me cut down on labor.

If buying works best, do so! You can still compost the food scraps from the house in a different form. I think it's most important that people become educated and choose what works best for them.

Buy vs Making- I say the important thing is that you(dare I say it) are still using compost & a good quality compost.
I know persons who just gave up & went back to the 1900's way of doing things.
You can get a handle on your yard weeds by cutting them every week. This will keep most, if not all from going to seed.

I'll add my vote for the acceptability of purchasing compost :-) As the previous poster said, it all depends on what's available and what your needs are.

In my previous garden I mulched with compost routinely, both to improve the soil and add fertility. Using compost, I never needed to apply any additional fertilizer. But to fully mulch my garden required about 12 cubic yards of compost -- far more than my small pile could produce. So I purchased bulk compost from a local supplier (recycled yard waste). It is an excellent product, pretty much weed-free and certified organic.

There are various reasons one would consider purchasing compost - the volume required, the quality, or simply because home composting is not an option. It's all good :-))

Yay, thanks for the great feedback, everyone! It's good to know I'm not banned from the soil forum if I start purchasing my compost. LOL! Like many of you, I am planning to keep my bin and throw what I can in it, because there is something magical about throwing in greens and leaves and ending up with rich dirt. But I like the idea of it being at my convenience, rather than killing myself trying to make as much as I need.

Here is a link that might be useful: my blog

It sounds like you're planning a trip to Meachan Road! Their compost is great, tho sometimes it's slightly less than ready, with a noticeable ammonia odor. You might want to have it delivered a little before you plan to plant in it. Every gardener who uses it loves it & it's the best deal in the county.

I also make my own compost, but I sometimes buy it when necessary, whenever I don't have enough.

Loribee, I haven't head of the Sonoma Compost Co! Or the mallard mix! Please fill me in!
I have bought from WZ and got tons of pumpkins from that mix.
I like Grab-N-Grow on LLano Rd. It's a bit more expensive, but I think it's certified organic. It's also only a couple of miles from my house!
Nancy

Yes! And thanks for the tip, Rosecats! Sonoma Compost is not far from me and I have a couple friends who swear by their mallard mix.

Ironically, there was an article on compost in the Press Democrat yesterday that mentioned them and--I'm almost positive--Grab N Grow. So I might do a little shopping around--when it stops raining! lol

Nancy, is Grab N Grow the company that sells Mango Mulch? I've got a coworker who swears by it. So, I guess living in dairy and wine country, we've got lots of good places to choose from.

Nancy, here's a link to the Sonoma Compost Co product page. I love that they give you pictures! I've resorted to tearing open bags at Home Depot because too many times, I've bought bagged "compost" only to find it's full of wood chips.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sonoma Compost

Your post Loribee is a great wake-up for other readers who have the same problem show up....weeds....and the need to throw what weeds we take out of our lawns and gardens into the bin at the right time.
When weeds go to seed is the time to garbage them and not try to prove you know better than Ma Nature.

Rather than add what little they end up with, weeds should go where the Dodo went but we know better don't we!

The wasting of our time and labor on trying to prove how good environmentalists we are is also shown in your message. Well done!

Well, I'm not even adding weeds to the compost. When my husband mows the weeds--er, lawn--those trimmings go in our city's compost bin. But I keep my compost pile in an area of the yard that's very weedy, and I think the seeds are getting picked up when I dump and turn it. Grrr...

But we had high winds last night that broke the hinges and blew the top off my compost bin. I think the whole set-up might be headed for the recycler soon!

Here is a link that might be useful: my blog

Lori, Thanks for that link! I didn't know the dump had become so sophisticated in their compost making! And SO much cheaper than G&G!
I'm setting up a couple of new beds this season and will go there for sure!