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  • From: Zachary Domike <zdomike@yahoo.com>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] goat berries mulch
  • Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 17:16:33 -0800 (PST)

Goat berries (GB), like all manure, will lose lots of nitrogen nutrients if exposed to the air, which is why deep slow compost is more efficient.  You suggest placing now for spring, sure that is plenty of time before planting into GB - but you will have a constant supply, so at some point will need to shift to a separate compost drum.  If I remember correctly, the oxidation of the manure will also release CO2, compounding GLobal Warming . . . .
 
The advantage of enclosed compost is that the nitrogen-rich greens and manure mix with the bulky carbon-rich dry leaves and straw.  Best ratio is about one N to four C.  Add some worms, some local soil, and some local clay to the mix. 
 
Compost drum for no-dig:  Collect six similar used tires, washed.  Cut off sidewalls on four tires, and just one sidewall from the other two, which will be the top and bottom of a drum.  Screw the stack together with drywall screws, coarse thread.  Screw the sidewalls into the stack to make it more permanent and structural.  Fit a sheet metal top and bottom on the stack, seal when full, and tip to turn once a week for hot compost.  Moisten the contents.  It will shrink by at least half, but be ready for use rapidly, if the ambient temperature is over 50*F.  Roll the drum to its final destination, and dig in under your spring seedlings .
 
Best,
Zack
 
From: Pumpkin Lady <pumpkingal@clearwire.net>
Subject: [Livingontheland] Mulch + overwinter questions
To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing
    <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <49130BEA.2050605@clearwire.net" ymailto="mailto:49130BEA.2050605@clearwire.net">49130BEA.2050605@clearwire.net>
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Amrita Chaudhury wrote:
>
> Did you try making briquettes out of the hay/grass clippings?

Since I plant most stuff 2-6 inches apart in the
ground...what would this gain me?  Even with tomatoes, I
plant them 2 ft apart, but I put other stuff in around them.
I mean, it's an interesting concept and all, but...

Basically, when I need mulch, I put the bag on the mulching
mower and make sure I'm mowing stuff that doesn't have a lot
of seeds (not all that much of an issue early in the
season), then I just dump it out of the bag and onto the
beds as deep or as shallow as I need. If the beds are
planted, I sift it by hand/brush it off so that the plants
don't get covered up.  Over plants I don't make it very
deep, and it dries out within a day or two, then I add
another thin layer until I get whatever depth I want. Even a
very thin layer really cuts down on weeds as long as it is
finely chopped stuff.

That's going to change this year because I got goats, and
their bedding will be perfectly good mulch I think. The
question there is - how long do "goat berries" need to cool
compost so they don't burn the plants? Don't talk to me
about hot compost, turning a pile is beyond my
patience/strength. I've tried it several times over the
years and I don't intend to even try to play with it any more.

Can I just take the goat droppings and bedding and put them
on the empty beds for the winter and have them have
decomposed enough not to burn plants when I plant in spring?

I do intend to play with a few beds this winter, but most of
them will just be mulched and set aside for spring planting.
Cold and I don't get along, and I am thinking the goats are
going to get most of my "outside time" this winter.

Morgan




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