Killer Compost/Murderous Mulch

[baymule]

FEM if your friend can get you wood chips, get all you can! We have power line contractors in our area right now and they have gladly dumped over 30 loads here. We used 20+ already, spreading over the sandy soil we have in an effort to keep it from blowing so bad. We were gifted with 4 year old wood chips and have the garden covered in rich, black, crumbly mulch. We set aside several of the wood chip piles for future garden mulch.

 

[sumi]

@baymule if you'd like to/when you have time, I would love to see pics etc of what your place looked like when you moved in and how it looks now and all the steps you've taken to get this far. You guys have transformed that property from the sound of things!

 

[Hinotori]

If you're going to use comfrey medicinally, make sure you have the correct species. Common comfrey is the one you want to use. Not russian or prickly comfrey.

 

[sumi]

Just a little butter in a fry pan and those would be some serious eats

 

[flowerbug]

i've picked way too much trash out of leaves and compost that i won't take any more now without inspecting it first. if it is hand raked leaves i'll take them. leaves picked up by mower i won't (shredded trash and grass clippings and weed seeds i don't need).

compost i would rather grow my own plants and then use those for composting.

wood is normally usually ok to take as long as it isn't treated or the black walnut, but most people find other more useful things to do with that than compost or burn it. most wood scraps i get are from people who are making firewood and they don't want to throw away the bark or rotting stuff and i can always use it someplace or bury it or leave it along an edge until it finishes rotting.

i don't ever take grass clippings.

 

[MoonShadows]

Never had this problem, but it is a shame...you work your butt off trying to do all the right things for your garden and your get blind sided.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yes I have heard of people having the same issue. Awful! No one I've bought from uses chemicals on their hay. But I do worry about this...

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It's crazy hard to find UNsprayed hay here...

 

[Britesea]

Wouldn't the chemicals be bad for the animals? I haven't run into this so I'm curious.

 

[Hinotori]

There is also an issue with certain wormers and using the manure if I remember right.

I haven't heard of sprayed hay here. None of my farmer relatives spray it. Don't think alfalfa has many issues except gophers over on the dry side. (I always helped set traps when at grandma's growing up). The grass hay on the wet side here left alone until they do the single cutting.