First year gardens (especially raised beds) can be very frustrating. The main reason is the compost we are adding. Because most of us are buying compost (hopefully from Wells Brothers) we are at the manufactures mercy as far as the age of decomposition is concerned. The last statement is not meant to degrade any manufacture or retailer. The compost and compost mixes have not finished the decomposing process and that’s a good thing. We want that process ongoing. But, one of the key nutrients used in the process is nitrogen (the first number in fertilizer). In short, this means that the soil and plants are in competition for the available nitrogen. This is one reason we fertilize.
Try to fertilize a couple of weeks before you plant and again at the time of planting. This is especially important for the all-natural gardener. Having a constant supply of nutrition will yield better results. But, not having enough food for the plants will yield frustration.
