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market-farming - Re: Tying up soil nitrogen (was Re: Horse manure/sawdust)

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  • From: Sojourner <sojournr AT missouri.org>
  • To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Tying up soil nitrogen (was Re: Horse manure/sawdust)
  • Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2000 10:11:03 -0600


Rose & Fred Lieberman wrote:
>
> Rob told Liz: "Just made sure to compost your sawdust for a season, so it
> doesn't tie up the nitrogen in your soil while decomposing"
>
> Thanks for the reminder, Rob.
>
> I just read the same thing in Lynn Byczynski's book "The Flower Farmer".
> She mentioned it about grass clippings, though.
>
> Basically, wait until they've dried out or have been composted. Putting
> them around the plants while the clippings are still green accomplishes the
> same nitrogen tie-up that Rob mentioned about sawdust.

This just isn't true, and I'm sorry to see such a myth being perpetuated
in a book like "The Flower Farmer", which has been on my list of books
to buy.

What DOES happen with fresh grass clippings is that they tend to mat and
water runs off the mulch like water off the back of a duck. So its not
a good idea to use fresh grass clippings as mulch unless you first mix
it with something else to keep these water-shedding clumps from
forming. Say . . . SAWDUST! <VBG> If you're using straight sawdust
between your rows or amongst the plants, mixing in lots of fresh grass
clippings will help to balance the nitrogen/carbon ratio and will speed
decomposition. Of the sawdust, we all know grass clippings practically
melt with rot in a composting situation.

--
Holly ;-D
Contrary Peasant
sojournr AT missouri.org




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