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Opinions on Municipal compost

I suppose it depends on how the compost is made. Some municipal composts include bio solid waste from the water treatment plant. I've also heard some people have reservations about using compost that has source material from peoples yards that could include fertilizers and pesticides.

Frankly, I don't think there is a guarantee that even the stuff you buy in a bag is completely free of pesticides or herbicides unless you explicitly buy organic compost.

FWIW, I'm using it in all of my planting beds for both ornamental plants as well as pepper, tomatos and veggies. The cost is a little too good to pass up (I can fill up my whole truck bed for free).

YMMV
 
I wouldn't use the stuff. Way to much possibility for disease (both you and the plants) herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and other nasty stuff. You never know what people will wput in to the clippings that the city will compost.
 
Get the commercial compost at the department stores. Like you don't really know what the treatment center has had to treat the water and the waste with and you can imagine what has been put down the drains and then to the treatment center for them to sort out
 
This is going to be a good one.....again....... The municipality that I get mine from does soil tests 5 times a year and all the reports are yours for the taking. There is no sludge used in the stuff I get, now if there was that is something that I would have to look into further. If you have done research into what goes into the stuff that you consume on a daily basis you would not be concerned about a little ferts or pesticides that are no longer present by the time the compost is turned over to the public please do not pass your opinion on as factual information. Research first than state the facts. I will use municipal compost as long as it remains cost effective. (21 tons in the garden this year)

Dale
 
I figure most pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides are going to be far gone in eight months - two years time. If these things were so long lasting, there wouldn't be a need to treat a yard more than once every other year.

Maybe you all's city is different, but around these parts, they don't add sewage treatment or anying to the compost - it is made from picking up grass clippings, leaves and branches from trees, shrubs, etc. It's usaully on a twoyear cycle, meaning the compost your buy now is from 2006's crop.

I would use it in a heartbeat. YMMV.

Mike
 
wordwiz said:
I figure most pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides are going to be far gone in eight months - two years time. If these things were so long lasting, there wouldn't be a need to treat a yard more than once every other year.

Maybe you all's city is different, but around these parts, they don't add sewage treatment or anying to the compost - it is made from picking up grass clippings, leaves and branches from trees, shrubs, etc. It's usaully on a twoyear cycle, meaning the compost your buy now is from 2006's crop.

I would use it in a heartbeat. YMMV.

Mike
Click to expand...

same in my area ,they use yard pickup,buy still I have a mixed filling
 
I agree with podpiper. I never did any research but if the county was handing out/selling toxic stuff there'd be lawsuits all over them.

the compost sites around here only take grass clippings/shrubs/tree branches/leaves thats it.

also pesticides do break down to a non-toxic form after awhile, if they didnt all your pets including you would drop dead if they didnt. then think about all the fruits & vegetables you eat, they get sprayed with plenty of chemicals & you're still alive (since you're reading this :lol:)

& what do you mean by "solid waste" ? human waste ?
 
I would use it if I could get it, but they charge like a wounded bull for it here. It is made from the council's own trees/shrubs, and from what people leave out on green waste pickup day. I am sure there are chemicals used on these before they are composted, and I am sure they have gone by the time I get it.
 
This is what I used 15 yards of last year...from a recycling center...The one thing I found out at my first plantout last year was that it compacts too much for good root growth so when I planted out the second time, I mixed 50% standard potting mix with the 50% of this stuff and it worked wonderfully...I essentially ended up with 30% compost, 50% Potting Soil, 20% sand

Premium Soil Mix ($17.50/yard)
Silver Creek Materials offers one of the finest soil mixes available. This soil is carefully blended to produce optimum plant growth. Our #1 selling premium soil mix consists of a screened blend of compost (60%) and the purest cushion sand available (40%) to add stability to the blend. This blend is best used in establishing new gardens, flowerbeds and leveling lawns. It also works well in establishing new lawns, spreading a four-inch layer before installing sod. Premium Soil Mix is a good substitute for topsoil and unlike most topsoils, it is 100% free of weed seeds. Our mixes are consistent year in and year out - you always know what you're going to get when you order Silver Creek Soils. Although the soil is rich in organic matter and nutrients, it remains necessary to maintain proper soil fertility through a regular fertilizing program.
 
AlabamaJack said:
This is what I used 15 yards of last year...
Click to expand...

Cubic yards? I got 9 yards of topsoil to fill in a 28' diameter pool and that covered much of it to a depth of 4". I always figured an inch of compost would be plenty. But then again, this is the first year I will have any to use.

Mike
 
yup Mike, 15 yds...you gotta remember I had to top the cement farm off which used about 3 yds...built that new bed..about 2 yds... and filled 327 5 gallon containers....
 
McGoo said:
I would use it if I could get it, but they charge like a wounded bull for it here.
Click to expand...


Same here. I used to use it, but then they started charging for it, so, if I'm going to pay anyway, I might as well get organic stuff from the stores.
 
AlabamaJack said:
yup Mike, 15 yds...you gotta remember I had to top the cement farm off which used about 3 yds...built that new bed..about 2 yds... and filled 327 5 gallon containers....
Click to expand...

AJ,

Aha! It's not the Superthrive, it's the toxic compost that resulted in your superhuman numbers! That explains 1000 pods from one plant! I've got to put TC on my list of things to stock in sell in my store once I get around to opening it. Marketing it might be a problem but some neat name like AJ's TC plant fertilizer - yeah, it has a ring to it. "Formulated near the heart of Texas, this miracle, OMRI compatible soil additive will produce results your Master Gardener cohorts will be insanely jealous of. Limited supply, get yours while it lasts. Only $40/yd.

Mike
 
roflmao @ wiz...now that's funny...
 
I make tonnes of my own compost and I know exactly what goes into it. I wouldn't buy municipal compost just because I eventually want to be certified organic and I don't need other people's weeds, diseases, bacteria, fertilizers , pesticides and pests
 
Communities here should have as much as ten times more compost than normal this spring. Back in September, we got hit by Hurricane Ike winds (yes, in OH) plus a fast moving front. Next to no rain but winds of 74 mph for nearly three hours. It took out thousands of trees - some of us were without electricity for nearly a week. Streets were lined with tree branches and sacks of leaves for three weeks waiting for crews to get them.

Unfortunately, at least one municipality underestimated the heat generated by green leaves when composting. Last week, a fire broke out at one compost pile. It was extremely hard to put out because the fire was originating from way below the surface. Workers had to dig into the pile so firefighters could get to the source of the heat.

Mike
 
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