Question: How much peat moss and compost do I need to add to the soil in my shrubs beds as I’m getting ready to plant them?

Answer: That depends totally on the types of plants you’re going to be using. Azaleas, for example, will need much more than hollies or nandinas. It really helps to know what plants will go where prior to working the ground. If you’re going to use annual flowers or groundcovers in front of your shrubs, you may want to save part of the soil amendments for that part of the bed. Plants that are smaller at maturity benefit from more “heroic ” bed preparation. Large shrubs should be able to withstand your local soils on their own, since extensive soil preparation would be so costly.