This is one of my biggest pet peeves with Mel's system, and where his infomerical-like message gets in the way of good science.

Vegetables are one of the voracious feeders, significantly more than most flowers or herbs. With Mel's mix, where do these come from? Well, supposedly the compost. Sure, getting compost from a broad range of sources will bring you close, but the large-scale manufacturing of compost is hardly efficient at producing high quality compost. Further, fertilization by compost is highly reliant on its decomposition. The speed of nitrification depends on how warm the soil gets, and if your region does not get sustained heat throughout the season, then the compost does not release it's nutrients readily.

There are indeed regional limitations to compost. Regional soil deficiencies (such as Potassium in my area) will move all the way through the chain of your local composts. The hay grown on Potassium deficient soil will be fed to cattle, whose manure is composted along with Potassium deficient forage. The result? You guessed it, Potassium deficient compost. No matter how hard you try, growing good, nutrient, and strong vegetables in a deficient soil without additional fertilization is impossible.

Finally, Mel's mix does not include any mineral soil. There are dozens of significant minerals and nutrients found in soil that simply are not found in, for instance, mushroom compost.

How do you know if your Mel's mix is deficient in something? Well, that would be a soil sample...

That was kind of along the lines of my thinking!

Other responses?

I'm with m lorne, and there is another thread going here where it appears the poster has nutrition issues using a Mel's mix-type soil. I use Mel as a general guide for certain things, then apply my experience to solve the problems I have (I have a hort degree tho).

Bottom line: Mel is a guide, not the bible.

Dan

Has anybody even done a general pH test? After a couple years?

Ha Ha I cheated. MG and 10-10-10 when I seen that the Mel's mix I made was not cutting it last year. This year compost and some acidifying and Urea for Alliums and light MG for the rest. I don't get carried away with the ferts as I worry about water pollution. and sorry no soil test for me I grow plants that like the soil. not soil to like the plant. I do love the PH question though.

Curt

Ya gotta love (not) a guy who claims science and tests don't count - just follow his advice.

If you tell enough people the sky is falling, sooner or later you find one who believes you and tells everyone else the same thing.

Mike

This is my second year of square foot gardening (after many years of "regular" gardening). Last year, I was a bit disappointed with the yields in the SF beds.This year I tested the soil and while the pH, P & K were all fine, I had hardly any nitrogen! The moral of the story: if you sense something amiss, test.

Good advice noobette!

Personally, I fertilize in addition to adding the scoop of compost. I use organic fertilizer and kelp meal every time I replant a square, and I haven't had a problem with growth or production. I probably should get a test, but I just never get around to it. I might be over-fertilizing, but so far it has worked for me!

The only problem I have is the number of weed seeds that get blown into my garden from the surrounding yards. And, my soil is so fertile that they grow like gangbusters, quickly!