Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Wayne" <wa2yne@gmail.com>]

Would be interesting to see what the local termites think of Cedar chips.
The critters even eat dog feces.
Other than that, might be nice to use em for a pathway here.
I'm open to suggestions here, as ordinary wood chips or sawdust would be 
eaten by the termites unless sprayed with something to kill the critters.
Eventually I want to get some Osage Orange trees growing here, as they are 
bug resistant, and, as pointed out along the line, the fruit is supposed to 
repel bugs. Chips from the wood might work as a mulch for pathways too?

Wayne WA2YNE
www.desert-rat.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Harvey Ussery" <huboxwood@earthlink.net>
To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 2:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] any use for cedar chip bedding?


> >
> > We've been using cedar chips in our chicken coops, since it smells nice 
> > and
> > helps keep the bugs down. But I've read that it's pretty much useless as 
> > a
> > compost ingredient. Should I give up on it and go back to straw? We do 
> > have
> > access to copious fresh cow manure thanks to our new Dexter heifer, 
> > Stella.
> > Would the cedar play nice if mixed with fresh poops?
> >
> > --Joanna
> I've read recommendations against the use of chips of aromatic woods
> like cedar for deep litter/bedding, not sure at the moment whether bec
> as you point out it resists breakdown later, or actual deleterious
> effects for the livestock.
>
> How about using the cedar chips as mulch on permanent paths anywhere in
> the homestead? The very fact that they resist breakdown would actually
> be a plus there.
>
> These days, I'm on the lookout for *all* org materials sources, am using
> more chips, espec as said on permanent paths, also in establ'ng "kill
> mulches" where I'm going to plant trees/shrubs.