adjustments

I redid some pots today. Using my vermicompost as top-dressing didn't really work. Well, most of the plants seem happy enough. Bold color, although I'm not sure if they really are more vivid, or I'm just thinking they are.

Problem is the top-dressing doesn't get mixed into the soil in a pot like it does in a garden, from the action of worms and other critters. Of course it doesn't. It just sits there getting crusty and in many of my pots, a white film of mold (or it could be minerals leeching out- my water's pretty hard). I don't like seeing that. Also a reminder that I'm probably overwatering- the pots feel heavier, I think the compost holds more moisture than the old soil, and I haven't quite adjusted my watering habits yet. So today I took some plants, removed the top-dressing of dark compost, scraped out a top layer of potting soil, mixed it together well, breaking up with rubbing fingers to fine crumbles. In some cases I took a further thin layer out of the pot and put them back in reverse order, so the old soil actually was top layer now. That way if the compost continues to get a bit moldy, at least I won't see it.

Maybe it's just too rich and I should have left it in the bin to break down further. Learn by experience.