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Old 10-01-2003, 07:16 PM
MC Emily
 
Posts: n/a
Default Raw sewage in the garden... problem or blessing?

James Collings wrote:

As the OP I thought I join in again (I dunno.. you post a question,
pop out to London for the day.. come back and find a nice long thread
already developed :-))


LOL. It must be the subject matter that's attracting the attention!!

The request for a clean-up comes because the sewage covered the whole
patio area upto the back door and our daughter (3yo) play house. I
didn't want her going out into it... but with Snow imminent she was
going to want to be out there building snowmen etc... (and you don't
want to be rolling up a snowman and find out that he has "ready made"
buttons, eyes, and nose!!!!). So the clean up was required.


Since your worried about your plants also, you might be better to hose the
patio down and then spray with a *good* disinfectant, such as Zal Perax II,
at the appropriate rate. This will do less damage than detergents. I
understand that your daughter will want to play in the snow, my kids used to
love the snow, and if you clean and disinfect the patio she will have an
area that you know if 'safe'. As for the garden itself, I would stay off it
as much as possible. It's probably sodden anyway and will poach easily.
Have the council pick up the solids and then leave it. Anything else that's
left will very quickly disappear.

Secondly I was concerned about the "burning" issue on the plants.
Composted materials (old manure, waste from a septic tank etc) I know
is excellent on plants.. but in its "raw" form (still recognisable!)
I wondered if it might be a bit "strong".


Even septic tanks have 'new' stuff in them!! We've had recognisable stuff
coming out many times and, to be honest, that part of the garden has the
greenest grass!!!

I am heartened by your answers so far.


Good. I don't think this is going to turn out to be a huge disaster. In
fact, you might find that your grass will be much improved by it.

Normally I too wouldn't be bothered about a
clean-up (being only 1 generation from farmers!) but with our little
one I wanted to be safe for her... hence the question that the
detergents will be harmful to the plants... I guess (based on the
replies), that it might be, but that it is a risk I will have to take.


Not necessarily. Think about what I've said above about the patio area.
You *can* have the best of both worlds here - a 'safe' place for your
daughter and snowmen and a fertilised garden!

Once the clean-up occurs (this weekend I am now told), Is there
anything I can "give" to the grass, tree, clemetis to help them cope?
(bearing in mind the time of year etc...)


Hopefully, this won't be necessary )

Jaqy