Treat your soil with respect

Olafhenny · 12-05-2015, 03:39 PM

Here is a good article worth reading:

https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1449284474

5 Ways to Reverse Climate Change Right Now - NationofChange

Kat2 · 12-05-2015, 04:44 PM

So what's new? Been doing all that for 35 years. Okay, I sprayed a lot of weedkiller when I worked as a landscaper and have at other times at my places (rarely) when pulling, solarization and other wannabee organic methods failed (vinegar is a joke IMO) and I have used some chemical fertilizer in FL while trying to balance/secure nutrients. (Need a source for manure and coffee grounds; because I'm single, my compost is mostly weeds (pulled easily in this sand) so probably not very nutritious. I put out trash once a month whether I need to or not; I don't want them to think my house is vacant. BTW, I have hot water and plumbing issues so I shower outside--very quickly--I have a very private yard. I've been lowcarbing so I rarely eat beans...I'm doing my part.

ETA: I love where I live! They recycle up a storm and offer compost and mulch for free to residents. They have it because they pick up my waste I can't compost for FREE. I had 8 or so yards of brush/branch compost delivered a couple of weeks ago; I'm slowly picking away at it.

Well darn, I thought I was adding pictures I could put in as needed.

#1 is my compost bin; I need to set up another I suspect.
#2 is solarization happening.
#3 is my free filler pile. Just sticks and clippings so not very yummy for plants
#4 is before I weeded where I'm solarizing.

Olafhenny · 12-05-2015, 05:39 PM

Good for you,Kat. The situation where I live, is very similar. Our yard waste is
picked up every two weeks with no limits on the amount.

I have a compost pile consisting of two sections. One side accumulates the waste
throughout the whole growing season. The other side is meanwhile used for adding
to the soil and to be screened and blended with peat moss for potting soil. Into my
compost go only grass clippings, old potting soil, kitchen waste, weeds as well as
fresh shoots, which are likely to decompose before next spring, when that side
will be activated for use.

The woody and coarse stuff is set out for yard waste collection. There it will be
shredded heat treated and composted. If you want some of that compost, you
have to buy it.

Mark Dragt · 12-05-2015, 10:03 PM

Kat,
I was working out of town last week and stopped in at a Starbucks coffee shop. In the corner of the room was a bin full of bags of used coffee grounds for free. Maybe other coffee shops give their used grounds away as well.

Kat2 · 12-05-2015, 11:33 PM

I know they give them away; sometimes you have to reserve them. I'm without a working motor vehicle just now; I'm biking. I can carry 20 to 30 lb of groceries on my back but they don't leak so I'll wait until I have gas not leg power to pick up poop or grounds. Seriously.

CraigSS · 12-07-2015, 07:22 AM

I take it that coffee grinds are good for banana trees?

JP · 12-07-2015, 09:29 AM

Doesn't Starbucks, as most major brands, puts MSG in the coffee?

Kat2 · 12-07-2015, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP

Doesn't Starbucks, as most major brands, puts MSG in the coffee?

I don't know but MSG is a naturally occurring amino acid. It's found in tomatoes, potatoes and other foods. I'm not worried about adding it to my soil.

a.hulva@coxinet.net · 12-07-2015, 11:27 AM

Those two piles of stuff really look good. Wish I had a good source for that in bulk.

Olafhenny · 12-07-2015, 01:52 PM

Hi Al,

I presume you are referring to Kat's Photos. Does you municipality not collect and
recycle yard waste? Most do nowadays.

If it does, go to the garbage dump an buy some. If not, I am sure, some of your
neighbouring jurisdiction do.

Kat2 · 12-07-2015, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olafhenny

Hi Al,

I presume you are referring to Kat's Photos. Does you municipality not collect and
recycle yard waste? Most do nowadays.

If it does, go to the garbage dump an buy some. If not, I am sure, some of your
neighbouring jurisdiction do.

I was just going to suggest that. And search hard. The man I paid to deliver 2 loads of my "free" stuff in his 5 yard dump truck (how many loads in my S-10?) lives in the county and digs out septic systems for additional retirement income. He sells good dirt; I found him on CL. I didn't want his dirt; I wanted this so we came up with a price. Long story short he had no idea it was available! Nor do many of my neighbors.

When I lived in Takoma Park they stopped loading leaf mold; people with their trash cans picking up a little meant their collection grew. Finally their pile, by a stream, grew so unwieldy that EPA started screaming; they had to get rid of it toot sweet. I suggested that they charge residents to deliver a full dump truck load which they did. For a higher fee they delivered to areas nearby. One man's/city's trash....

Good luck.

ETA: You're not far from Oklahoma City; they have a landfill. Are they just burying yard waste? Shame if they are. (Here there sell the big stuff to an electrical producer; how's that for ingenuity?) Also I know people who run around and pick up bagged leaves; they're not ready to go but will breakdown. Tree trimming companies in the DC area dumped chips for free; it cost them to dump them. Longer for compost but eventually and until then it's good around plants.

Red Sky · 12-08-2015, 02:35 AM

If you have neighbors or friends with chickens or other poultry you may be able to score some used bedding/litter. I have chickens and quail and even with three huge compost bins I don't have space for it all so give much of it away when the bins are too full. My problem is getting the browns for the bins so collecting my neighbors' leaves, and getting free sawdust and shavings from local woodworkers helps round out my piles. The chickens help turn the top foot or so of the piles so they earn their keep between that and producing eggs.

12-05-2015, 03:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 253,544 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Treat your soil with respect Here is a good article worth reading: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1449284474 5 Ways to Reverse Climate Change Right Now - NationofChange __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them. Last edited by Olafhenny : 12-05-2015 at 03:42 PM.

12-05-2015, 05:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 253,544 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: Treat your soil with respect Good for you,Kat. The situation where I live, is very similar. Our yard waste is picked up every two weeks with no limits on the amount. I have a compost pile consisting of two sections. One side accumulates the waste throughout the whole growing season. The other side is meanwhile used for adding to the soil and to be screened and blended with peat moss for potting soil. Into my compost go only grass clippings, old potting soil, kitchen waste, weeds as well as fresh shoots, which are likely to decompose before next spring, when that side will be activated for use. The woody and coarse stuff is set out for yard waste collection. There it will be shredded heat treated and composted. If you want some of that compost, you have to buy it. __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them. Last edited by Olafhenny : 12-05-2015 at 06:36 PM.

12-05-2015, 10:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
Mark Dragt Location: Rochester,Wa Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 823 BananaBucks : 38,305 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,357 Times Was Thanked 1,718 Times in 635 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 332 Times	Re: Treat your soil with respect Kat, I was working out of town last week and stopped in at a Starbucks coffee shop. In the corner of the room was a bin full of bags of used coffee grounds for free. Maybe other coffee shops give their used grounds away as well. __________________ Mark's Banana Forest Paradise

12-05-2015, 11:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
Kat2 Location: Now nesting in Titusville, FL Zone: 10A or 9B ish. Like it matters? Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,153 BananaBucks : 249,299 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,921 Times Was Thanked 2,669 Times in 1,322 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 595 Times	Re: Treat your soil with respect I know they give them away; sometimes you have to reserve them. I'm without a working motor vehicle just now; I'm biking. I can carry 20 to 30 lb of groceries on my back but they don't leak so I'll wait until I have gas not leg power to pick up poop or grounds. Seriously. __________________

12-07-2015, 07:22 AM	#6 (permalink)
CraigSS CraigSS Location: Smith Mountain Lake; SW VA Find me on the map! Zone: 7 Name: CraigSS Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 238 BananaBucks : 17,015 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 365 Times Was Thanked 323 Times in 146 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 172 Times	Re: Treat your soil with respect I take it that coffee grinds are good for banana trees? __________________ Find me on the map!

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12-07-2015, 09:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
JP Location: Trois-Rivières, Québec Find me on the map! Zone: 4 Name: JP Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 1,225 BananaBucks : 149,415 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,953 Times Was Thanked 1,690 Times in 815 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 304 Times	Re: Treat your soil with respect Doesn't Starbucks, as most major brands, puts MSG in the coffee?

12-07-2015, 11:27 AM	#9 (permalink)
a.hulva@coxinet.net Location: Edmond, OK Zone: 73034 Name: Al Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 456 BananaBucks : 50,011 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 3,694 Times Was Thanked 779 Times in 317 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 437 Times	Re: Treat your soil with respect Those two piles of stuff really look good. Wish I had a good source for that in bulk.

12-07-2015, 01:52 PM	#10 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 253,544 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: Treat your soil with respect Hi Al, I presume you are referring to Kat's Photos. Does you municipality not collect and recycle yard waste? Most do nowadays. If it does, go to the garbage dump an buy some. If not, I am sure, some of your neighbouring jurisdiction do. __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

12-08-2015, 02:35 AM	#12 (permalink)
Red Sky Urban Farmer Location: Tempe, AZ Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 60 BananaBucks : 22,392 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 213 Times Was Thanked 88 Times in 42 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 103 Times	Re: Treat your soil with respect If you have neighbors or friends with chickens or other poultry you may be able to score some used bedding/litter. I have chickens and quail and even with three huge compost bins I don't have space for it all so give much of it away when the bins are too full. My problem is getting the browns for the bins so collecting my neighbors' leaves, and getting free sawdust and shavings from local woodworkers helps round out my piles. The chickens help turn the top foot or so of the piles so they earn their keep between that and producing eggs. __________________

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