organic Organics 101

Roguejim said:
I surmise you do not mulch your garden? A "brick like surface" usually indicates zero mulching.
I throw everything into it. but it is a large area. A black hole, if you will.
 
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I probably wasn't very clear with my question. My thought would be to add compost to my already established raised beds, maybe 4-5 weeks prior to plant out, working the compost into the top 4-5", not to fill the beds from the bottom up. Frankly, I'm a bit confused about the payoff to going to the time and trouble of making compost, if I would still have to add other soil amendments, and/or fertilize during the growing season, anyway. I'm just throwing these questions out there for myself.


if I remember correctly, I think 2-3 inches top dressed is sufficient, but I forget where I read that
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
Good advice HB01.
Leaves are one of the greatest possible things you can have in your compost pile.

Here's a good video on leaf composting.
If you are interested in composting I highly recommend this book. Many consider this the bible on composting.

http://www.amazon.com/Rodale-Book-Composting-Methods-Gardener/dp/0878579915/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433091249&sr=8-1&keywords=rodale+book+of+composting
Did I hear this guy right?  Two inches of composted leaves will supply a plant with everything it needs for an entire season??  No need for additional fert or soil amendments???  I don't believe it.
 
Did I hear this guy right?  Two inches of composted leaves will supply a plant with everything it needs for an entire season??  No need for additional fert or soil amendments???  I don't believe it.


as with all things, it's an on going cycle. 2in of compost plus additional amendments each season sounds pretty straight forward to me. wouldn't even need to be strictly compost.

on the other hand, there is the back to Eden group that promotes wood chips only as an amendment.
 
filmost said:
as with all things, it's an on going cycle. 2in of compost plus additional amendments each season sounds pretty straight forward to me. wouldn't even need to be strictly compost.

on the other hand, there is the back to Eden group that promotes wood chips only as an amendment.
Yeah, but he says that "every agricultural study ever done says that two inches of yard waste compost...is all any plant needs to be fed and protected from disease for an entire season."  Hard for me to believe, but, I'm new to this.  Also, what sized bin would I need to produce enough compost to cover a 300s/f garden, two inches deep?
 
THP member "windchicken" has proven, to my mind, that ramial chipped wood is ALL that's necessary to feed a plant.  Hardwood seems to be the key.  Check out his glog.  No fert or anything else required.  Just water.  My dream...
 
Yeah, but he says that "every agricultural study ever done says that two inches of yard waste compost...is all any plant needs to be fed and protected from disease for an entire season."  Hard for me to believe, but, I'm new to this.  Also, what sized bin would I need to produce enough compost to cover a 300s/f garden, two inches deep?
 
THP member "windchicken" has proven, to my mind, that ramial chipped wood is ALL that's necessary to feed a plant.  Hardwood seems to be the key.  Check out his glog.  No fert or anything else required.  Just water.  My dream...
I see I see. been awhile since I saw that vid, so didn't click the link. in any case I saw just do what makes sense and is feasible for you is my very humble opinion.

I live in the burbs of Japan and with limited space make due with what I can b/c half the time the info being passed around just isn't feasible.

I really would like to try the wood chips bit, but no where to source it cheap here ;-(
 
Roguejim said:
Yeah, but he says that "every agricultural study ever done says that two inches of yard waste compost...is all any plant needs to be fed and protected from disease for an entire season."  Hard for me to believe, but, I'm new to this.  Also, what sized bin would I need to produce enough compost to cover a 300s/f garden, two inches deep?
 
THP member "windchicken" has proven, to my mind, that ramial chipped wood is ALL that's necessary to feed a plant.  Hardwood seems to be the key.  Check out his glog.  No fert or anything else required.  Just water.  My dream...
so your saying just hardwoods then ? oak , etc.    :onfire:
 
JoynersHotPeppers said:
Yeah I like the video and am with that dude, when I do kitchen scraps they go in one bin and grass, mulch and leaves go in another. I just checked that bin and have about 40 gallons of black gold! Guess I'll have a long wait until next plant out but at least it is there. 
I put everything together in the compost bin but 90% of it is yard clippings and some leaves depending on the time of the year. I have a static worm bin that is all compost with a few amendments added so no food scraps go into it.
 
filmost said:
I see I see. been awhile since I saw that vid, so didn't click the link. in any case I saw just do what makes sense and is feasible for you is my very humble opinion. I live in the burbs of Japan and with limited space make due with what I can b/c half the time the info being passed around just isn't feasible. I really would like to try the wood chips bit, but no where to source it cheap here ;-(
I just had a Maple tree removed that they chipped the remaining stump and left it in place. I was able to recover 8 wheelbarrows full of chipped wood mulch. The pile was 2 days old and already VERY HOT which made me do a happy dance. I moved it to the backyard to allow it to breakdown on an unused bed. 
 
JoynersHotPeppers said:
I just had a Maple tree removed that they chipped the remaining stump and left it in place. I was able to recover 8 wheelbarrows full of chipped wood mulch. The pile was 2 days old and already VERY HOT which made me do a happy dance. I moved it to the backyard to allow it to breakdown on an unused bed. 
 
We have a cherry tree that may get chopped in the future, might have to do the same thing. Though it's probably not as big as your maple tree!
 
moruga welder said:
so your saying just hardwoods then ? oak , etc.    :onfire:
Yeah. Windchicken has been using shredded oak for a few years now. If you till the chips in the first time, you could experience some nitrogen tie-up. Windchicken added a bit of Osmocote that first season to offset this small problem. Following seasons, chips are added to the surface, and no more nitrogen issues. Windchicken knows a lot more, and enjoys explaining it to anyone interested. There is also an online study that was conducted by a couple of scientists in Quebec. Google "ramial chipped wood Quebec".
 
Roguejim said:
Yeah, but he says that "every agricultural study ever done says that two inches of yard waste compost...is all any plant needs to be fed and protected from disease for an entire season."  Hard for me to believe, but, I'm new to this.  Also, what sized bin would I need to produce enough compost to cover a 300s/f garden, two inches deep?
 
THP member "windchicken" has proven, to my mind, that ramial chipped wood is ALL that's necessary to feed a plant.  Hardwood seems to be the key.  Check out his glog.  No fert or anything else required.  Just water.  My dream...
Jim, you live in one of the absolute best states in the country for nurseries and growers in general. I would think you could find someone to get a yard or two of finished compost. How far is Peaceful Valley garden supplies from you?
They are in Grass Valley, CA I believe.
 
Sure, I can get all the compost I want to buy around here. I'm just trying to justify "one more thing" to add to what I already do. You see, every Fall, all that mulch that's on top of my raised beds gets worked back into the soil. New mulch is added to the surface. I'm not hurting for organic matter in my raised beds. Nutes aren't a problem except for the calcium, unless I'm misdiagnosing what looked like BER on one of my chile chilacas. I was stunned by this because of the bone meal and lime I had put down last October!
 
Roguejim said:
Sure, I can get all the compost I want to buy around here. I'm just trying to justify "one more thing" to add to what I already do. You see, every Fall, all that mulch that's on top of my raised beds gets worked back into the soil. New mulch is added to the surface. I'm not hurting for organic matter in my raised beds. Nutes aren't a problem except for the calcium, unless I'm misdiagnosing what looked like BER on one of my chile chilacas. I was stunned by this because of the bone meal and lime I had put down last October!
Maybe you did misdiagnose it but who knows? If only one pepper showed that it seems like all the other peppers had enough calcium doesn't it?
 
JoynersHotPeppers said:
Yeah I like the video and am with that dude, when I do kitchen scraps they go in one bin and grass, mulch and leaves go in another. I just checked that bin and have about 40 gallons of black gold! Guess I'll have a long wait until next plant out but at least it is there. 
Why do you keep these separate? What else do you put in the kitchen scrap bin?  I just started composting this past winter and i have been putting it all in the same bin. 
 
Another question for anyone who knows, can you store compost or will it lose its potency? 
 
parker49 said:
Why do you keep these separate? What else do you put in the kitchen scrap bin?  I just started composting this past winter and i have been putting it all in the same bin. 
 
Another question for anyone who knows, can you store compost or will it lose its potency? 
I have found the yard waste breaks down way faster and I do add spent coffee grinds to it..I am not expert. The other stuff takes longer so I use them for different things.
 
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