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DianaT
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Making Compost
Both of us have had compost piles, boxes, etc. in the past, but we always had yard waste----lawn clippings etc. to add to the kitchen waste we used.
Now with the Baja house, we will have no lawn and no other clippings until we get some things to grow.
So, has anyone created compost without yard clippings?
Thanks
Diane and John
[Edited on 10-14-2007 by jdtrotter]
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Bajalero
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Doesn't shari have a horse?
http://www.leps.bc.ca/compmanure.html
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oladulce
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Mind if I throw a question in your compost heap Diane?
I haven't considered composting because I can barely keep half a step ahead of the ants as it is. How does one collect table scraps for composting
without starting an ant farm?
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DianaT
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Good idea, but I just can't stand the idea of using the horse poop
Ants---have not seen any yet---mice, a scorpion, flies, and some other misc. creatures, but no ants yet.
I saw on line a really cute crock for collecting kitchen waste, but not sure if it would be ant proof.
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Bob and Susan
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we just planted some stuff and got cow manure
we mixed it with good soil fron the mulege valley
the dogs LOVE it
goat manure works too...no more goats around this area
also i was talking to some of the "boys" and they said they have "organic gardens" in mulege that use "bat poop" (guano)
this stuff is supposed really makes the plants really grow
edit spell again
[Edited on 10-14-2007 by Bob and Susan]
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woody with a view
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob and Susan
we just planted some stuff and got cow manure
we mixed it with good soil fron the mulege valley
the dogs LOVE it
goat manure works too...no more goats around this area
also i was talking to some of the "boys" and they said they have "organic gardens" in mulege that use "bat poop" (guano)
this stuff is supposed really makes the plants really grow
edit spell again
[Edited on 10-14-2007 by Bob and Susan] |
now, if it would only rain!
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Bob and Susan
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we're DONE with rain!!!
it rained 4 TIMES this summer already!!!
now it's COLD!!!
75 FREEZING-DEGREES this morning
87 yesterday afternoon
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shari
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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We do have an old dried up, ready to go compost of years old horse dung and chicken poo too which would mix nicely with the sand for your new plants.
Also that mesquite mix you find under mesquite trees is awesome.
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DianaT
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We have looked at where people dig around the mesquite trees, and even the owner of that great nursery near Vizcaino told us to use mesquite dirt and
we will.
Just out of curiosity, are there any dirt experts out there who can tell us why that dirt is so much better. Is it better to begin with so that is
why the mesquites grow there, or do they add something to the soil.
Diane
[Edited on 10-14-2007 by jdtrotter]
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Bajalero
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| Quote: |
Good idea, but I just can't stand the idea of using the horse poop
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Oakey dokey,
Sounds like your only hope is shredded newspaper and worms
But then the worms poop too.
Quite a conundrum
| Quote: | | Just out of curiosity, are there any dirt experts out there who can tell us why that dirt is so much better. Is it better to begin with so that
is why the mesquites grow there, or do they add something to the soil. |
It's the organic matter JD , the leaves fall to the ground and the weevils and worms and fungus and bacteria eat it and poop out concentrated organic
matter .
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vandenberg
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So JD, in short,
"ANY" kind o'poop will do.
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajalero
| Quote: |
Good idea, but I just can't stand the idea of using the horse poop
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Oakey dokey,
Sounds like your only hope is shredded newspaper and worms
But then the worms poop too.
Quite a conundrum
| Quote: | | Just out of curiosity, are there any dirt experts out there who can tell us why that dirt is so much better. Is it better to begin with so that
is why the mesquites grow there, or do they add something to the soil. |
It's the organic matter JD , the leaves fall to the ground and the weevils and worms and fungus and bacteria eat it and poop out concentrated organic
matter . |
But worm poop is so much smaller.
I assumed that the dropping leaves, worms etc. made the mesquite soil better, but I still wonder what it is in the soil that makes them grow in
certain areas and not in others. But then again, I wonder about the conditions needed for all the different Baja desert fauna---especially when there
are lots of one thing like cardons, and then just one of something else, like an elephant tree.
Off topic, but had to do with plants. We were surprised and very happy that Los Pinos in the San Quintin area is removing the salt cedars! Those
babies need to go. 
Diane
Had to edit quick before the spelling police arrived----next it will be the grammar police. 
[Edited on 10-14-2007 by jdtrotter]
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Iflyfish
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Go scrape the rocks around there, that is white gold!
Iflyfish
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Bob H
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
So JD, in short,
"ANY" kind o'poop will do. |
Noooo,,, you do NOT want to use poop from anything that eats meat! That's the key.
Great thread.
Bob H
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bajajudy
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We use only food scraps in our compost and have enough to fertilize our garden. Nothing but vegetables, fruits, egg shells, coffee grinds. If we
have a salad with dressing, it does not go into the compost. No grains, rice etc. We have never had a problem with rodents. We mix chicken poop in
with it although our chickens are free range and fertilize where ever they feel like it. Now Gympie, we move around to place her where we think needs
fertilizing. Right now she is in the bed with the okra and roselle getting it ready for the greens we will plant when it cools.
We have no clippings either.
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vandenberg
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bob H
| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
So JD, in short,
"ANY" kind o'poop will do. |
Noooo,,, you do NOT want to use poop from anything that eats meat! That's the key.
Great thread.
Bob H |
OK Bob, I forgot, Chinamen don't eat meat.
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Mexitron
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Mesquite over time develops a nice layer of mulch around it from its fallen leaves--in short it creates its own compost and the nutrients can then be
taken back into the tree. So if you're removing mulch from under a Mesquite you're taking its nutrient base away and exposing the soil to drier
conditions. But I'm sure it works great in the garden.
As far as where Mesquite prefer to grow--just about any soil or rock as long as it can get it its deep taproots down into some moisture. In Texas its
taking over--migrating northward with the warmer climate of recent decades with no concurrent mitigation by prairie fire.
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Mexitron
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| Quote: | Originally posted by jdtrotter
Both of us have had compost piles, boxes, etc. in the past, but we always had yard waste----lawn clippings etc. to add to the kitchen waste we used.
Now with the Baja house, we will have no lawn and no other clippings until we get some things to grow.
So, has anyone created compost without yard clippings?
Thanks
Diane and John
[Edited on 10-14-2007 by jdtrotter] |
Well, that's one downside to living in the desert! Not like LA where you can find all kinds of cellulose to add to the compost pile--newspaper, yard
waste, cardboard, even getting the bags of used coffee grounds from Starbucks--the perfect compost amendment.
Suppose a little kelp could work? Or scrounge around town for boxes and other waste.
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Mexitron
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jdtrotter-- found this, you're in luck:
"If you live near a coastal community, kelp and seaweed is a must-have ingredient. Here on Kodiak Island, kelp piles on the beaches in long windrows,
and is available to anyone with a truck or garbage can. Pound per pound, kelp supplies more minerals than any other material on the planet. In the
garden, it also aerates the soil and makes an excellent mulch around potato plants, fruit-bearing shrubs, bulbs and perennials. And, contrary to
popular belief, seaweed does not add harmful salts to the garden"
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Mexitron
jdtrotter-- found this, you're in luck:
"If you live near a coastal community, kelp and seaweed is a must-have ingredient. Here on Kodiak Island, kelp piles on the beaches in long windrows,
and is available to anyone with a truck or garbage can. Pound per pound, kelp supplies more minerals than any other material on the planet. In the
garden, it also aerates the soil and makes an excellent mulch around potato plants, fruit-bearing shrubs, bulbs and perennials. And, contrary to
popular belief, seaweed does not add harmful salts to the garden" |
Wow, that is great information---lots of kelp around. They say it does not add harmful salts, but I would guess one might want to rinse the surface
salt off???
In our area, you should see the big holes around the areas where the mesquites grow----just a common practice in the area to collect that dirt.
Another off topic---I mentioned the wonderful removal of some of the saltcedars by Los Pinos---the same ranch that planted them. But not too far from
us, on the road to San Borja, we couldn't believe what we saw. A family was setting up a new ranch and had newly planted saltcedar---not too far from
where he had his well.
Thanks for the info!
Diane
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