Lime and compost for pH correction and organic matter — plus P-K feeding recommendations.
Lime needed
Raise pH by 1.0 points
20 lb
Compost (2-inch top dress)
~0.23 cu yd per 100 sqft
0.92 cu yd
Blood meal (P / nitrogen)
Optional — for hungry crops
8.0 lb
Wood ash (K)
Optional — adds potassium, also raises pH
20.0 lb
Lime moves pH up; sulfur moves it down. Clay soils resist change — they need more lime to shift the same amount because their cation exchange capacity holds onto acids. Sand flips fast.
Don't apply wood ash and lime together — ash is strongly alkaline and will overshoot the pH target. Split them across seasons. A real soil test (P, K, Mg, Ca, OM) costs $20 from your county extension and beats every estimate.
lime_lb = (target − current) × rate_per_100sqft × (area ÷ 100)
compost_cuyd = (area ÷ 100) × 0.23
Raised Bed Soil
Cubic yards and bags needed for a raised bed box — with mix-recipe breakdowns.
Mulch Coverage
Cubic yards, bags, and cost for mulching a garden or landscape at your chosen depth.
Compost C:N Ratio
Balance greens and browns for a hot pile — browns-to-greens by volume for the 25:1 to 30:1 sweet spot.