Refresh Your Garden Beds with A December Compost Application
Winter is here, but your garden beds aren’t on pause—especially if they’re in Hampton Roads. With Mercury Mulch, December becomes a perfect window to refresh soil with compost, even as temperatures dip. Consider it as a slow, steady meal for your beds that settles in over the colder weeks, so spring starts stronger and easier.
Why Compost in December Benefits Virginia Garden Beds
Local guidance backs the idea that compost can be added any time of year, not just during the growing season. The University of Maryland Extension notes that gardeners can spread compost whenever it suits them, and it’s a useful way to replenish organic matter in beds. In Virginia, winter soil rarely freezes solid, so your garden beds can still benefit from a fresh layer of rich organic material.
Virginia-area garden advisors also encourage topping up beds after the season ends. Piedmont Master Gardeners recommend adding compost to replenish nutrients and protect soil, even as gardeners clean up spent plants. In practice, this guidance mirrors a typical December task list: clear away old plant debris, refresh the beds with compost, and finish with a protective cover.
Simple Steps to Prepare Raised Beds with Winter Compost
Clear the bed first. Pull out dead stems, weeds, or diseased bits, then rake the surface smooth. You’re creating a clean canvas for compost to work its magic.
Spread a modest layer. Aim for roughly 1 to 2 inches of compost over the soil. A light, even layer lets soil life incorporate it more easily over winter and keeps your beds from becoming too heavy or messy.
Lightly work or leave on top. If the soil is workable, you can gently mix the compost into the top few inches; if it’s a bit firm, a surface layer works fine too. Microbes and earthworms will move it in as weather allows.
Add mulch on top. A layer of leaves, straw, or wood mulch helps hold compost in place, reduces erosion from wind or winter rains, and keeps beds tidy until spring.
Plan for spring. By March or April, that composted layer will already be integrated, making planting faster and healthier.
Schedule Your Compost Delivery Today
Give your raised beds or garden a powerful head start for next season—without any heavy lifting. Contact Mercury Mulch at (757) 219‑2033 to order top-quality bulk mushroom compost or our proprietary Mercury Mix delivered directly to your doorstep in Hampton or the surrounding areas. Make December easier—focus on improving your soil while we manage the delivery. You’ll spend less time hauling and more time preparing for your best garden yet.
