oak saw dust

[Rusty Richards]

As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Newbie Joe

[Leon]

For some plants such as Roses, the saw dust will rob nutrients from the soil as it begins to break down. Other than that it should not hurt. That said, IIRC you want to mix Lime into the clay/Gumbo to break it down.

[Duane Bozarth]

Yes and no...oak is very rich in tannic acid which isn't conducive to most veggies, etc.

At least compost it before adding it to the garden and a heavy dose of lime to neutralize pH will help. The clay will benefit from added humus, but you need to test the soil for needed nutrients and acidity before just dumping stuff in if you want to really improve the soil for growing stuff, that is. The rhod'ys and azaelas will like it, though...they need acidic soils.

[Colin Jacobs]

[Rumpty]

On top as a mulch it's fine, don't rototill/dig in fresh sawdust into the soil. If used in the soil it must be composted first. if you dig in fresh it will rob nitrogen.

[Will]

or be lazy and add a little fertilizer.

[max]

It takes about a year for the saw dust in the soil to start breaking down enough to release nitrogen. I started composting my saw dust about 15 years ago. I added nitrogen for a year or so and then stopped. My soil is rich and black. max

[Duane Bozarth]

Also note the caveat on oak in particular as high tannic acid content...walnut is to be avoided entirely.

[Bob]

What about Pine and Cherry dust?

[Phisherman]

Fresh sawdust placed in the garden will deplete the soil of nitrogen--don't do this. Instead, create a heap of 50/50 sawdust and grass clippings and turn it every couple months. The initial heap should be at least 3x3x3 foot for composting to work well. After 3-6 months, it will be composted and can use used in your garden. If you don't use grass clippings (or green clippings), the sawdust will take much longer to compost. Adding compost to clay soil will greatly improve it.

[Andy Dingley]

And don't forget to piss on it.

Easiest way is to have a barbecue and invite all the guests to do likewise. Maybe this works better for pagans?

[Patriarch]

Duane Bozarth wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Unless you WANT to keep the weeds down in certain areas...

Patriarch

[Patriarch]

Andy Dingley wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Some of us gather our nitrogen from organic sources (horse stables), adding to the aroma. Mulched under black plastic for a month or so, the weeds are pretty much history.

Or the OP can wimp out, and throw it in the greens bin, and let the municipality deal with it. Not everyone wants responibility through the whole carbon cycle, anyway.

Does taking a leak on the compost pile preclude Christianity? It's never been mentioned in my doctrinal studies...

Patriarch

[Jeff Gorman]

"Rusty Richards" wrote

For a fairly full summary of the use of wood waste as compost, Rusty might like to look at my web site - Hints & Tips - Uses of Sawdust & Shavings.

Jeff G

[Andy Dingley]

I've no idea (I shall try to find out on Wednesday when I ask someone knowledgeable about the Somerset settlements).

In modern times though, barbecues full of pagans seem amenable to the idea of communal pissing on the compost, but I can't imagine the vicar's tea party going for it.

[Larry Jaques]

On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 00:40:01 -0600, the inscrutable Patriarch spake:

Indubitably, my dear Dingles.

I take the easy way out. I burn my leaves (two piles a year) and pick up a full truck bed (cubic yard) load of JoGrow (community compost) from them once a year for $9. I'm going to the fully organic stuff from the other place this year at a premium: $20 a load.

I think it's the essence of it. Every time I think of those preachy religious folks...

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[max]

Walnut is toxic. It is not good for the micro organisms in the soil, for the worms, for horses, for anything. I agree, don't use walnut or redwood. Redwood has a chemical in it that retards growth for stuff that is not redwood. max

[Phisherman]

[Patriarch]

Phisherman wrote in news: [e-mail]:

And redwood bark is used for mulch in California all of the time as well.

I was just saying that there are some places where the plant/sawdust characterisitcs are desireable. It breaks down over time.

And because I like to use walnut for furniture projects, it's nice to have somewhere to use the chips & sawdust. Like paths & such.

Patriarch

[Jerry]

Gee, we put wood chip down just to STOP things from growing. My wife, the gartener, said that woodchip depletes the soil of nitrogen as it decomposes and retards seeds from germinating.

Rusty Richards wrote: