How to amend + add soil without spending a dime?

[GrowsLotsaPeppers]

What ever you do, mix the compost and dirt well. The nutrients will be spread around, and the composting should speed up some.

You'll want to add the nitrogen, too, so the manure will be of value.

With as much as you're wanting to do, see if you can find some 'horse people', who often have excess composted manure, free for the taking. A pickup load or three would be of value, and you could more easily start your own composting pile somewhere on your 'rare and valuable special dirt.'

 

[Holachicka]

Will do! What can I uses as a source of nitrogen? Also, I wanted to make a couple of potato cages, could potatoes grow in the composted woodchips? or would I need to use soil? I have what may be a stupid question about potatoes too; If I use fencing for the cages, 4' tall, put the potatoes at the bottom, and continually add chips until the leaves reach the top of the cage, will potatoes develop all all throughout the cage? or just at the bottom? I guess my question is more about where the tubers develop, is it along the stems or just the roots? Thanks again for all the help!

 

[GrowsLotsaPeppers]

The horse pucky is the source of nitrogen. If you can get it composted, then it will work better for this year's crops. Otherwise, pile it for next years, where you can mix it with garden and kitchen trimmings, and let it mellow out.