Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
I have my compost bin out in the back but i only really filled it up
just as it froze last fall. So i'm not expecting to have a whole lot ready for this year. Even if everything in there composted instantly it still wouldn't be much. I have a new garden plot (grown one season of veggies so far) that is pretty much clay with the small amount of topsoil i dumped on it last year. All the advice i've got is to dig a lot of compost into this plot. So where does a city bound veggie gardener get compost? Will the nurseries (where i buy tomato plants) sell bags of it? I know supermarkets have bags of peat moss and potting soil, do they also have compost? I'm going to check if my city might be giving out compost to residents at some point this season. I've never actually met a farmer in person so i can't imagine choosing a random farm, driving up, knocking on the door and asking if they sell compost. So what do i do? |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
wrote in message om... I have my compost bin out in the back but i only really filled it up just as it froze last fall. So i'm not expecting to have a whole lot ready for this year. Even if everything in there composted instantly it still wouldn't be much. I have a new garden plot (grown one season of veggies so far) that is pretty much clay with the small amount of topsoil i dumped on it last year. All the advice i've got is to dig a lot of compost into this plot. So where does a city bound veggie gardener get compost? Will the nurseries (where i buy tomato plants) sell bags of it? I know supermarkets have bags of peat moss and potting soil, do they also have compost? I'm going to check if my city might be giving out compost to residents at some point this season. I've never actually met a farmer in person so i can't imagine choosing a random farm, driving up, knocking on the door and asking if they sell compost. So what do i do? Your garden centre or nursery will have all manner of composts and soil additives, and depending on your local circumstances, your nearest waste disposal site may well be involved with composting and sell you back the weeds etc you dumped there last year:-)) As regards your nearest farm, they will be glad to see you disappearing over the horizon with as much manure as you can carry, although that might be best left for autumn so it can rot down somewhat before being applied. Riding stables likewise. If the city you are in is London, the household cavalry may help out :-)) Ask, they can only say no. Incidentally, you don't knock on the door at farms, you pull into the yard and stop, then wait until the supply of dogs dies down. Then assess the risk according to the numbers and types before getting out. HTH Steve |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
|
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
On 29 Mar 2004 06:13:24 -0800, wrote:
I have my compost bin out in the back but i only really filled it up just as it froze last fall. So i'm not expecting to have a whole lot ready for this year. Even if everything in there composted instantly it still wouldn't be much. I have a new garden plot (grown one season of veggies so far) that is pretty much clay with the small amount of topsoil i dumped on it last year. All the advice i've got is to dig a lot of compost into this plot. So where does a city bound veggie gardener get compost? Will the nurseries (where i buy tomato plants) sell bags of it? I know supermarkets have bags of peat moss and potting soil, do they also have compost? I'm going to check if my city might be giving out compost to residents at some point this season. I've never actually met a farmer in person so i can't imagine choosing a random farm, driving up, knocking on the door and asking if they sell compost. So what do i do? If the other ideas don't help, you should be able to find composted manure in bags at home centers (home despot, lows, etc) and nurseries. If you want a lot, you can probably find a listing in the phone book for landscaping supplies or similar and they will probably deliver for a fee. Near me, there is a horse operation with a sign by the road begging for people to come get manure. might just be a matter of keeping your eyes open in the right area. K For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit http://www.isa-arbor.com/home.asp. For consumer info about tree care, visit http://www.treesaregood.com/ |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
I have had the same problem as yourself. Couldn't find a store selling the
right stuff. What is labeled as composted manure is generally too strong to put in your garden. Other composted variations turn out to resemble ordinary black dirt. The closest I found were bags of mushroom compost, the drawback being their cost, which is not deserved since this stuff is basically straw mixed with leftover mushroom bed material. I finally resorted to building my own compost bins and collecting leaves from all my puzzled neighbors, who dump this stuff out on the street. For this season, I wouldn't give up on what you started. You can accelerate the cooking process by turning the pile over as many times as your back will allow. Also, mixing in some accelerators, like fertilizers will also speed up the process. In the meantime, think about expanding your existing mulch pile. It's cheaper and usually better quality than anything you can buy. Sherwin Dubren wrote: I have my compost bin out in the back but i only really filled it up just as it froze last fall. So i'm not expecting to have a whole lot ready for this year. Even if everything in there composted instantly it still wouldn't be much. I have a new garden plot (grown one season of veggies so far) that is pretty much clay with the small amount of topsoil i dumped on it last year. All the advice i've got is to dig a lot of compost into this plot. So where does a city bound veggie gardener get compost? Will the nurseries (where i buy tomato plants) sell bags of it? I know supermarkets have bags of peat moss and potting soil, do they also have compost? I'm going to check if my city might be giving out compost to residents at some point this season. I've never actually met a farmer in person so i can't imagine choosing a random farm, driving up, knocking on the door and asking if they sell compost. So what do i do? |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
Look in your phone book for a waste management center or your local trash
companies. They usually have an area that they use to make leaf mulch and compost from pickup from residential customers. It's the most cost effective place to get quantities of it. Here in Raleigh, NC, we can get a whole pickup load for $18 on compost and $12 for leaf mulch. Leaf mulch is very good for plants too because it decomposes into the soil while retaining moisture and keeping weeds down. If you only need small quantities, you can get bags of compost from Home Depot or Lowes Home Improvement or a local garden center. You'll pay more in the garden center though. I'm renting a large pickup this Friday and getting as many loads as I can of leaf mulch and compost to mulch under newly planted trees and to fill raised beds and to spread over a large hill that I'm planting perennials on (bad run on sentence). My veggie garden has already been tilled with compost/manure this past fall, so I won't need any there. Good luck, Penny zone 7b - North Carolina wrote in message om... I have my compost bin out in the back but i only really filled it up just as it froze last fall. So i'm not expecting to have a whole lot ready for this year. Even if everything in there composted instantly it still wouldn't be much. I have a new garden plot (grown one season of veggies so far) that is pretty much clay with the small amount of topsoil i dumped on it last year. All the advice i've got is to dig a lot of compost into this plot. So where does a city bound veggie gardener get compost? Will the nurseries (where i buy tomato plants) sell bags of it? I know supermarkets have bags of peat moss and potting soil, do they also have compost? I'm going to check if my city might be giving out compost to residents at some point this season. I've never actually met a farmer in person so i can't imagine choosing a random farm, driving up, knocking on the door and asking if they sell compost. So what do i do? |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
Penny,
I find it interesting that you make a distinction between leaf mulch and compost. I thought that leaves are a possible component of making mulch. I mix in leaves with grass clippings, etc. (browns and greens work well together) to produce a black mulch after they are composted. I would not recommend putting uncomposted leaves directly into the garden. I also like to get leaves that have been run through a lawn mower. It helps them break down faster. Some of the stuff at these waste management places are just straight leaves scooped up from the curb where they were raked. When I scavenge for leaves, I look for those where the resident used their bag catcher to cut the lawn and pick up leaves at the same time. This gives the advantage of chopped up stuff with leaves and grass together. My neighbors must think I'm nuts going down the streets poking into different piles looking for the right stuff. Sherwin D. Penny Morgan wrote: Look in your phone book for a waste management center or your local trash companies. They usually have an area that they use to make leaf mulch and compost from pickup from residential customers. It's the most cost effective place to get quantities of it. Here in Raleigh, NC, we can get a whole pickup load for $18 on compost and $12 for leaf mulch. Leaf mulch is very good for plants too because it decomposes into the soil while retaining moisture and keeping weeds down. If you only need small quantities, you can get bags of compost from Home Depot or Lowes Home Improvement or a local garden center. You'll pay more in the garden center though. I'm renting a large pickup this Friday and getting as many loads as I can of leaf mulch and compost to mulch under newly planted trees and to fill raised beds and to spread over a large hill that I'm planting perennials on (bad run on sentence). My veggie garden has already been tilled with compost/manure this past fall, so I won't need any there. Good luck, Penny zone 7b - North Carolina wrote in message om... I have my compost bin out in the back but i only really filled it up just as it froze last fall. So i'm not expecting to have a whole lot ready for this year. Even if everything in there composted instantly it still wouldn't be much. I have a new garden plot (grown one season of veggies so far) that is pretty much clay with the small amount of topsoil i dumped on it last year. All the advice i've got is to dig a lot of compost into this plot. So where does a city bound veggie gardener get compost? Will the nurseries (where i buy tomato plants) sell bags of it? I know supermarkets have bags of peat moss and potting soil, do they also have compost? I'm going to check if my city might be giving out compost to residents at some point this season. I've never actually met a farmer in person so i can't imagine choosing a random farm, driving up, knocking on the door and asking if they sell compost. So what do i do? |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
Penny,
I find it interesting that you make a distinction between leaf mulch and compost. I thought that leaves are a possible component of making mulch. I mix in leaves with grass clippings, etc. (browns and greens work well together) to produce a black mulch after they are composted. I would not recommend putting uncomposted leaves directly into the garden. I also like to get leaves that have been run through a lawn mower. It helps them break down faster. Some of the stuff at these waste management places are just straight leaves scooped up from the curb where they were raked. When I scavenge for leaves, I look for those where the resident used their bag catcher to cut the lawn and pick up leaves at the same time. This gives the advantage of chopped up stuff with leaves and grass together. My neighbors must think I'm nuts going down the streets poking into different piles looking for the right stuff. Sherwin D. Penny Morgan wrote: Look in your phone book for a waste management center or your local trash companies. They usually have an area that they use to make leaf mulch and compost from pickup from residential customers. It's the most cost effective place to get quantities of it. Here in Raleigh, NC, we can get a whole pickup load for $18 on compost and $12 for leaf mulch. Leaf mulch is very good for plants too because it decomposes into the soil while retaining moisture and keeping weeds down. If you only need small quantities, you can get bags of compost from Home Depot or Lowes Home Improvement or a local garden center. You'll pay more in the garden center though. I'm renting a large pickup this Friday and getting as many loads as I can of leaf mulch and compost to mulch under newly planted trees and to fill raised beds and to spread over a large hill that I'm planting perennials on (bad run on sentence). My veggie garden has already been tilled with compost/manure this past fall, so I won't need any there. Good luck, Penny zone 7b - North Carolina wrote in message om... I have my compost bin out in the back but i only really filled it up just as it froze last fall. So i'm not expecting to have a whole lot ready for this year. Even if everything in there composted instantly it still wouldn't be much. I have a new garden plot (grown one season of veggies so far) that is pretty much clay with the small amount of topsoil i dumped on it last year. All the advice i've got is to dig a lot of compost into this plot. So where does a city bound veggie gardener get compost? Will the nurseries (where i buy tomato plants) sell bags of it? I know supermarkets have bags of peat moss and potting soil, do they also have compost? I'm going to check if my city might be giving out compost to residents at some point this season. I've never actually met a farmer in person so i can't imagine choosing a random farm, driving up, knocking on the door and asking if they sell compost. So what do i do? |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
City folks may want to be friends with the local barbers.. Hair is rich
in nitrogen. Anything that was once alive is good for your garden. Dried blood $$$ or butcher remains.. ? Gardening is Death reborn into life. End of Sermon. Bill |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
Penny,
I find it interesting that you make a distinction between leaf mulch and compost. I thought that leaves are a possible component of making mulch. I mix in leaves with grass clippings, etc. (browns and greens work well together) to produce a black mulch after they are composted. I would not recommend putting uncomposted leaves directly into the garden. I also like to get leaves that have been run through a lawn mower. It helps them break down faster. Some of the stuff at these waste management places are just straight leaves scooped up from the curb where they were raked. When I scavenge for leaves, I look for those where the resident used their bag catcher to cut the lawn and pick up leaves at the same time. This gives the advantage of chopped up stuff with leaves and grass together. My neighbors must think I'm nuts going down the streets poking into different piles looking for the right stuff. Sherwin D. Penny Morgan wrote: Look in your phone book for a waste management center or your local trash companies. They usually have an area that they use to make leaf mulch and compost from pickup from residential customers. It's the most cost effective place to get quantities of it. Here in Raleigh, NC, we can get a whole pickup load for $18 on compost and $12 for leaf mulch. Leaf mulch is very good for plants too because it decomposes into the soil while retaining moisture and keeping weeds down. If you only need small quantities, you can get bags of compost from Home Depot or Lowes Home Improvement or a local garden center. You'll pay more in the garden center though. I'm renting a large pickup this Friday and getting as many loads as I can of leaf mulch and compost to mulch under newly planted trees and to fill raised beds and to spread over a large hill that I'm planting perennials on (bad run on sentence). My veggie garden has already been tilled with compost/manure this past fall, so I won't need any there. Good luck, Penny zone 7b - North Carolina wrote in message om... I have my compost bin out in the back but i only really filled it up just as it froze last fall. So i'm not expecting to have a whole lot ready for this year. Even if everything in there composted instantly it still wouldn't be much. I have a new garden plot (grown one season of veggies so far) that is pretty much clay with the small amount of topsoil i dumped on it last year. All the advice i've got is to dig a lot of compost into this plot. So where does a city bound veggie gardener get compost? Will the nurseries (where i buy tomato plants) sell bags of it? I know supermarkets have bags of peat moss and potting soil, do they also have compost? I'm going to check if my city might be giving out compost to residents at some point this season. I've never actually met a farmer in person so i can't imagine choosing a random farm, driving up, knocking on the door and asking if they sell compost. So what do i do? |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
City folks may want to be friends with the local barbers.. Hair is rich
in nitrogen. Anything that was once alive is good for your garden. Dried blood $$$ or butcher remains.. ? Gardening is Death reborn into life. End of Sermon. Bill |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
|
#14
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
A mukluk wearing troll wrote in message . ..
On 29 Mar 2004 06:13:24 -0800, wrote: I have my compost bin out in the back but i only really filled it up just as it froze last fall. So i'm not expecting to have a whole lot ready for this year. Even if everything in there composted instantly it still wouldn't be much. I have a new garden plot (grown one season of veggies so far) that is pretty much clay with the small amount of topsoil i dumped on it last year. All the advice i've got is to dig a lot of compost into this plot. So where does a city bound veggie gardener get compost? People have suggested a few places - here's a few mo Thanks to everyone for the replies. 1. Does your city have an industrial composting program yet? The City of Toronto (Ontario, Canada) does, and you can take away as much compost as you can shovel into your vehicle from the pick up point at Centennial Park in Etobicoke. Turns our my city (Waterloo, Ontario) is giving out free compost and mulch to residents on a particular weekend in May. Bring your own container and up to X bushels per person. Can't remember exactly what X is. And since i originally posted this i've recieved a bunch of spring flyers advertizing the soil/mulch/compost in bulk or yard bags from miscellanous companies. Last year trucks could easily drive through and undeveloped field and dump stuff right at the end of my backyard. That's how i got my first yardbag of soil. It was easy to move it the few yards to the garden with a wheelbarrow. But recently someone started development of part of that area and now trucks cannot get to my backyard. Having stuff dumped on the driveway is the only option. I'm the middle unit of a 3 unit townhouse with a really long, skinny backyard. My garden is 200 feet from the driveway. That would be a long trip especially since it requires going around neighbours. Even if i do find a good source, getting it to the garden will always be a hassle. I guess i'm just screwed :-) |
#15
|
|||
|
|||
Where does a city boy get compost?
A mukluk wearing troll wrote in message . ..
On 29 Mar 2004 06:13:24 -0800, wrote: I have my compost bin out in the back but i only really filled it up just as it froze last fall. So i'm not expecting to have a whole lot ready for this year. Even if everything in there composted instantly it still wouldn't be much. I have a new garden plot (grown one season of veggies so far) that is pretty much clay with the small amount of topsoil i dumped on it last year. All the advice i've got is to dig a lot of compost into this plot. So where does a city bound veggie gardener get compost? People have suggested a few places - here's a few mo Thanks to everyone for the replies. 1. Does your city have an industrial composting program yet? The City of Toronto (Ontario, Canada) does, and you can take away as much compost as you can shovel into your vehicle from the pick up point at Centennial Park in Etobicoke. Turns our my city (Waterloo, Ontario) is giving out free compost and mulch to residents on a particular weekend in May. Bring your own container and up to X bushels per person. Can't remember exactly what X is. And since i originally posted this i've recieved a bunch of spring flyers advertizing the soil/mulch/compost in bulk or yard bags from miscellanous companies. Last year trucks could easily drive through and undeveloped field and dump stuff right at the end of my backyard. That's how i got my first yardbag of soil. It was easy to move it the few yards to the garden with a wheelbarrow. But recently someone started development of part of that area and now trucks cannot get to my backyard. Having stuff dumped on the driveway is the only option. I'm the middle unit of a 3 unit townhouse with a really long, skinny backyard. My garden is 200 feet from the driveway. That would be a long trip especially since it requires going around neighbours. Even if i do find a good source, getting it to the garden will always be a hassle. I guess i'm just screwed :-) |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Did I get compost or did I get ripped off? | Gardening | |||
Where does a city boy get compost? | Gardening | |||
questions about Celebrity, Better Boy, and Big Boy tomtaoes | Gardening | |||
Big Boy or Better Boy tomatoes | Edible Gardening | |||
Small tractor With "Briggs@Stratton"EngineType "Farmers Boy" | Gardening |