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["Melody O." <melody AT crecon.com>]

At 11:13 AM 3/7/05 -0800, you wrote:
>I also feel that if someone were really out to give you advice on how 
>not to cause harm to your garden, they might mention that conifer waste 
>breaks down into compounds that are toxic to all plant life except those 
>that dwell among them here in the forest: ferns, rhodies, etc.  Nearly 
>always when there is free "manure" available, it's mostly conifer 
>shavings, and it's usually red cedar (the most toxic of all, according 
>to Steve Solomon).  I've even heard it billed as manure without the 
>stinky element.  I've learn to detect that smell of red cedar in the 
>blackened sawdust mix, and politely refuse it.

Good to know, thanks.  I will change my ways this year.  I have put cedar
chips on lots of plants (including my strawberries) in the front of the
house to make the beds pretty.  Oops.

Best wishes,
Melody