Fall is the time to amend soils. My self I would plant directly into, lets see what others have to say on the matter.

Thanks for the reply rj. Sounds like I was on the right track.

I will spread the compost on my planting beds this fall, and cover that with a mulch material and allow the soil bacteria to work the compost into the soil for me. Since it does take some time for the Soil Food Web to get the compost ready for the plants fall is the best time to spread it on the planting beds. If you wait until spring to spread the compost most of the nutrients will not be all that available to the plants that growing season.

Thanks kimmsr. I've wondered how much activity would actually occur here in northern MA from November to April/May when I would start planting. Seems chilly for the bacteria. Do you dig (some would say "till") the remaining compost in before spring planting?

I no longer till my soil, except for what gets done when I plant, make the hole for a new plant or make a furrow or whatever for a seed.. What soil gets moved at that time is the only "tilling" that happens.

I wish I could have a matured garden as you, kimmsr. But I have just started 4 months back. I now have 3 3x3 compost in waiting and cooking. I am having another new one just started yesterday, intended to wait for grass clipping to mix in and bring to high temperature in order to kill the seed and whatever disease in the OM. When I have new batch of materials, whether this last batch is done or not, I will spread it on my new bed in waiting and let it sit rather to prepare lasagna bed. I believe in compost more than the rest. Cheers Engy

Way back when we were first married we lived in a house on a 66 x 66 lot in the city. After the kids started school we needed more room and moved out to this house with enough room to have a very large garden and raise chickens and rabbits, and there seems to be a law that says all newbies must be given a horse or pony which we also had. So I have been working on the soil here now for around 35 years and someday, if you keep working at it, your soil will be this good too. It takes time for soil to deteriorate and it takes time to fix it.