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Billy[_10_] · 06-04-2010, 07:46 AM posted to rec.gardens

In article ,
wrote:

have been looking for some cheap compost or composted manure for garden and
have found a source of some clean manure & sawdust mix.........this person
will give me this stuff for free, and will load it for me as well........he
will give me the oldest he has .......he has a large pile that he has made
into a ramp of sorts, he dumps the fresh at far end driving over oldest
stuff with loader.....So the material he will give me is quite compacted,
heavy and wet........will this work for my garden? I am concerned how to
break apart and work into soil......and since I will be planting some things
soon - beets, broccoli, carrots, onions, kale, cabbage..........is this a
good way to go, or should I look for some better option? Oh and one more
thing.....I have picked up 1 load of compost from the city....I went to city
compost yard and found I can get all that I want for free......compost is
clean and looks good.....I used on flower beds, but not sure I trust for
vegetable garden....They said compost it is 99 percent leaves and grass.

Uh-huh. Manure of an uncertain age, should be added to the garden three
months before planting. If you can keep it away from the edible part of
the plant for 3 months, that is just as good (No slashing on the edible
portions while watering. This goes for septic lines as well.). Work into
soil with a shovel for best N effect (although you will be damaging the
soil by turning it). It is probably best to use it as side dressing.

Manure Chicken Diary Cow Horse Steer Rabbit Sheep Alfalfa Fish Emulsion
N 1.1 .257 .70 .70 2.4 .70 3 5
P .80 .15 .30 .30 1.4 .30 1 1
K .50 .25 .60 .40 .60 .90 2 1

Use as manure at 18 lbs of chicken manure per 100 sq. feet. This is good
for corn, tomatoes, peppers, squash. It is over kill for root crops and
melons.

concentration X quantity = concentration X quantity

Ex. N (Steer manure) X ? = N (Chicken manure) (1.1) X 18 lbs
? = Chicken manure (1.1) X 18 lbs. / .70 (steer manure) = 28.29 lbs of
steer manure

On the other hand, the city has no idea of what has been put on its
compost. When in doubt, throw it out. If this is for decorative plants,
no problem. If this is for plants that you are going to eat, forget it.
If the city can absolutely, positively guarantee that no herbicide,
insecticide, or heavy metals (or arsenic) have been used on their
compost, then use it everywhere.
--
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.

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