A garden is only as good as the ground that it's planted in. Discussion forum for the many ways to improve the soil where we plant our gardens.
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August 15, 2014 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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Everything You Know About Composting is Wrong
Just something to think about for those having difficulty with composting.
The only thing I would add to this excellent talk is grass clippings. Mixing grass clippings with shredded leaves heats up a pile just as well as the coffee grounds he mentioned.
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Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
August 15, 2014 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: selmer, tn
Posts: 2,944
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I have been using leaves for many years and they have treated me real well.
jon |
August 15, 2014 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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Alfalfa hay also heats up the pile. And, manure of chickens, ducks, horses,etc.
Scott-I'm removing a large patch of English Ivy. I'm planning of letting it sit int the sun a few days to dry out. Will it count as a green or brown? I have a pretty brown pile right now, hoping this will help. Any other tips to prevent transplanting the ivy to the compost pile? |
August 16, 2014 | #4 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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Quote:
__________________
Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
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August 16, 2014 | #5 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 2,593
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Quote:
Can you shred or chip the ivy? I do that with kudzu vines, and never had any resurrection. If you put them in fresh, they will be greens. |
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August 16, 2014 | #6 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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Quote:
Scott-what do you mean by tips? I think I also have some poison ivy in the woods. I don't think I'm sensitive to poison ivy so I don't tend to recognize it well. In all my years of military and hunting/tramping through the woods, I've never gotten poison ivy. Which is weird because I seem to have the world's most sensitive skin. My husband has never gotten it, either. Our grandson helped us with our move and he got a rash from just cleaning the horse trailer and dumping the shavings in a pile in the woods at the edge of my garden! |
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August 16, 2014 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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Tips for killing the demon spawn without using harsh chemicles that will harm my garden. The back fence is being turned into a poison ivy hedge. I can't get to the other side of the fence because it is a military base. On my side everything I have tried just makes it grow stronger and lusher. It's well over 10 feet tall this year.
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Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
August 16, 2014 | #8 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: selmer, tn
Posts: 2,944
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Quote:
jon |
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August 16, 2014 | #9 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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Quote:
If I was there I'd get on the other side of that fence for you unless it's restricted. Any chance of burning it in the winter? Then, spraying with goycophosphate? I spent another half day pulling English Ivy. Man, the vermicompost under this plant is awesome! We have the fattest, longest and fastest moving earthworms that I've ever seen! Put about 25 in the compost barrel. I have a huge pile starting, plus a tumble. I put the good stuff in the tumbler and things that will take longer in the pile. I also have a pile of leaves and pine straw that are probably 5-6 years old. Going to mix it in my new garden. |
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August 16, 2014 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 252
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Thanks for posting this video Redbbaron! Instructive, entertaining and timely. Love the simplicity!
Glenn |
August 16, 2014 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: rienzi, ms
Posts: 470
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maybe you could salt the fence row? if you aren't growing anything along it that is. i'd have no idea how to go about it but high salt should kill any plant i would think at some point
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August 16, 2014 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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I can't see the video link. Could you give me the cliff notes?
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August 16, 2014 | #13 |
BANNED FOR LIFE
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 13,333
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Good Video. I've been using oak leaves twice a year since 2011. Our soil has gotten better each year.
There is one bad thing about the leaves in the garden though. Both Squash bugs and Harlequin bugs live in those leaves over winter. I've been doing a lot of reading on those two bugs here lately because they about killed or squash and turnip plants. |
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