Hey guys! I realized that this might be the wrong forum for this question so I posted in the Soil forum. Sorry. I feel like I know the people in this forum! Hey if you have advice I would be glad to hear it!

I know what you mean. How many inches? I've seen Monarda get very tall. I don't know about the others. I would work around them, until they got to a decent height, and build up the soil.

Ya know that is one good thing about planting flowers, herbs and veggies. They are not picky. You can plant them deeper then what they were germinated. It doesn't hurt flowers at all. Of course at first you may notice some leaves closer to the bottom drop off, but the main "integrity" of the plant will be ok. I rather plant a flower veggie or herb to deep than not deep enough, if it is to shallow the root may be to exposed, then it will act like it is suffering from lack of water, then heat wave may equal death.

Now I DO NOT advise to plant shrubs or trees in this manner. Trees and shrubs must be planted at the exact same level as when they were grown. No deeper, no shallower!! To deep they drown, to shallow they thirst!!

Linda Jo, that organic matter should break down pretty fast and the soil level will be pretty much back where it was before. I do it all the time, level of the bed never seems changed after the OM rots. I'd leave a few inches clear around the existing plants, though.

Karen

Thank you all for the good advice. I am reassured that I can mix in the compost and plant. Planted poppies already! My first ws seedlings. It rained today and they are so perky!

I feel like I have a bunch of gardening friends. So glad I found gardenweb.