Tom, I do continue to add more organic matter every year. But I don't have to remove any of the old soil because the level has dropped. Where does it go? I'd really like to know.

[To the tune of "Anticipation"]

De-com-po-ZI-tion!

Decomposi-i-tion

is makin' me spade!

(With all due apologies to Muzak everywhere)

p.s. Some of it goes into building your garden plants, which go into your tum, and/or back into the compost pile.

It can be much more than each year that you would want to add new organic matter. Every time you turn over a square to something new, you throw in some trowels of compost. The magic of organic decompostion at its best!

Donna is correct, your level of soil will drop. It's a good thing...

Finished compost will reduce its volume by about 1/3 every year as it steadily decomposes into nothingness. Peat moss takes a while longer, vermiculite and perlite longer yet

I wonder what most of us are doing about compost renewal--so I guess I'd better start a "polling thread."