Clumps in my mel mix

philct 4/4/2012, 6:57 pm

So when I made my first ever Mel's mix today, I noticed the compost, or at least the leaf compost and maybe manure was clumpy. Does that mess with the mix when you put it in the box?? I ended up breaking up as many clumps as I can, most were golf ball size or smaller, which took a LONG time!!! anyone have any advice, comments?

**camprn** 4/4/2012, 7:02 pm

Let it dry out a little bit then use a garden fork to mix or put on the garden cloves and break the clumps by hand. Rub the clumps between the palms. Big clumps are not attractive or effective but clumps near an inch big, no problem.

philct 4/4/2012, 7:44 pm

camprn wrote:Let it dry out a little bit then use a garden fork to mix or put on the garden cloves and break the clumps by hand. Rub the clumps between the palms. Big clumps are not attractive or effective but clumps near an inch big, no problem.

Gloves... So for the first part of today I wore no gloves... I can still smell the manure. LOL..

Seriously, thanks for the tip. I broke up the ones larger than a golfball thinking they may disturb the mix. The smaller ones I left, but will work more on them tomorrow.

**camprn** 4/4/2012, 7:58 pm

philct wrote:
camprn wrote:Let it dry out a little bit then use a garden fork to mix or put on the garden cloves and break the clumps by hand. Rub the clumps between the palms. Big clumps are not attractive or effective but clumps near an inch big, no problem.

Gloves... So for the first part of today I wore no gloves... I can still smell the manure. LOL..

Seriously, thanks for the tip. I broke up the ones larger than a golfball thinking they may disturb the mix. The smaller ones I left, but will work more on them tomorrow.

LOL, I am a terrible typist, I'm so glad you figgered out I meant Gloves. Clumps in my mel mix 926169

I am a big fan of garden gloves and a nice little scrub brush next to the kitchen sink.
Clumps in my mel mix Dirty-fingernails

philct 4/4/2012, 8:04 pm

camprn wrote:
philct wrote:
camprn wrote:Let it dry out a little bit then use a garden fork to mix or put on the garden cloves and break the clumps by hand. Rub the clumps between the palms. Big clumps are not attractive or effective but clumps near an inch big, no problem.

Gloves... So for the first part of today I wore no gloves... I can still smell the manure. LOL..

Seriously, thanks for the tip. I broke up the ones larger than a golfball thinking they may disturb the mix. The smaller ones I left, but will work more on them tomorrow.
LOL, I am a terrible typist, I'm so glad you figgered out I meant Gloves.

I am a big fan of garden gloves and a nice little scrub brush next to the kitchen sink.

We're to be best friends as I didn't even see it was misspelled Clumps in my mel mix 3170584802

Did you happen to see any of the pics of my mix? It seems so light colored?

**camprn** 4/4/2012, 8:09 pm

philct wrote: Did you happen to see any of the pics of my mix? It seems so light colored?

It looks pretty normal, because of the vermiculite. When you water it of course it will appear darker. Next year when you add more compost it will get darker too. Tell me, what kinds of compost did you use again?

philct 4/4/2012, 8:11 pm

camprn wrote:
philct wrote: Did you happen to see any of the pics of my mix? It seems so light colored?
It looks pretty normal, because of the vermiculite. When you water it of course it will appear darker. Next year when you add more compost it will get darker too. Tell me, what kinds of compost did you use again?

cow manure, shrimp and seaweed compost, cow with humus, leaf compost, and chickitty doo doo... after I mixed it I found out I can get worn castings after all, about 30 minutes away, and also lobster compost.. so next batch, maybe ill mix those in and cut back on chicken and cow.

**camprn** 4/4/2012, 8:21 pm

Oh sounds good. I LOVE the lobstah compost. If you can get the worm castings and hold it aside, you may use it to topdress heavier feeding plants as the season goes on.

philct 4/4/2012, 8:27 pm

camprn wrote:Oh sounds good. I LOVE the lobstah compost. If you can get the worm castings and hold it aside, you may use it to topdress heavier feeding plants as the season goes on.

whats your thought on chickitty doo doo? I took black walnuts advice and threw in 2 bags... It sounds like it'll do a great job, but all my research it seems 50% love 50% hate it.

FYI: RN?

**camprn** 4/4/2012, 8:59 pm

if chickity doo doo is composted chicken poo, it is probably good.... don't over think it, you have a good variety. It's time to plant your peas and spinach and beets. Wink

RN? what?

philct 4/4/2012, 9:13 pm

camprn wrote:if chickity doo doo is composted chicken poo, it is probably good.... don't over think it, you have a good variety. It's time to plant your peas and spinach and beets.

RN? what?

camp rn, are you an rn? My wife and I both are Very Happy

**camprn** 4/4/2012, 9:23 pm

Oh RN, yuppers I'm a Real Nurse Wink

Pleased to meetcha! Clumps in my mel mix 61949

chjbr63 4/4/2012, 9:29 pm

Hey guys I'm a bad speller too, I went to the " How To" on the home page and there is a post on getting a spell checker.

philct 4/4/2012, 9:38 pm

chjbr63 wrote:Hey guys I'm a bad speller too, I went to the " How To" on the home page and there is a post on getting a spell checker.

Who needs a speelcheeker

UnderTheBlackWalnut 4/4/2012, 9:38 pm

philct wrote:
whats your thought on chickitty doo doo? I took black walnuts advice and threw in 2 bags... It sounds like it'll do a great job, but all my research it seems 50% love 50% hate it.

LOL - this is where I have to remember where I live. We here in the midwestern prairie are a ways away from most lobster or seaweed compost. Smile

So when we can't get lobster, we go for the chicken! Smile

AvaDGardner 4/5/2012, 2:01 am

Does chicky doo doo have a weird smell?

They use chicken manure a lot to top-dress landscaping around offices here, and on the freeway-edged fields. It has a um...distinctive fragrance! You can also smell the poultry farms miles before you get to them.

I would hate to bring that into my boxes!

philct 4/5/2012, 6:22 am

AvaDGardner wrote:Does chicky doo doo have a weird smell?

They use chicken manure a lot to top-dress landscaping around offices here, and on the freeway-edged fields. It has a um...distinctive fragrance! You can also smell the poultry farms miles before you get to them.

I would hate to bring that into my boxes!

Only when I first opened it, once mixed in it went away.

UnderTheBlackWalnut 4/5/2012, 10:22 am

philct wrote:

Only when I first opened it, once mixed in it went away.

+1

philct 4/5/2012, 2:31 pm

philct wrote:
AvaDGardner wrote:Does chicky doo doo have a weird smell?

They use chicken manure a lot to top-dress landscaping around offices here, and on the freeway-edged fields. It has a um...distinctive fragrance! You can also smell the poultry farms miles before you get to them.

I would hate to bring that into my boxes!

Only when I first opened it, once mixed in it went away.

Now I have a few flies who seem to LOVE the compost choices I made LOL

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