Is the compost from the dump in Salt Lake City ok to use as part of the compost mix?

Meredith Leavitt 4/25/2012, 2:54 pm

Hi! I am a new SFG person and I am excited! We have made out boxes 4'x6'x12". 4 of these and they are placed east to west ( long sides). We are now ready to put in the Mel's Mix but I know it will be expensive to buy all those bags of compost. Has anyone used the compost that comes from the dump here in Salt lake City for part of that compost mix?

Thanks, Meredith

landarch 4/25/2012, 3:16 pm

I would be leery of public compost as you never really know what materials are in there (pesticides, herbicides, poison ivy, etc.). I once had a friend that spread free municipal mulch in all of his shrub beds and he had poison ivy head to toe after that. Ever since that I take a pass on free stuff from the city.

Meredith Leavitt 4/25/2012, 3:24 pm

Thanks:) I am a little leary but wondered if anyone in Salt lake City had tried compost from that specific dump.

thanks,

Meredith

littlesapphire 4/25/2012, 3:24 pm

I checked out the free compost that is available in my town, but unfortunately it wasn't actually composted. It was what most gardeners would actually call mulch, mostly ground up tree branches and shredded leaves. You might try taking some of the free stuff and putting it in your compost pile, but I wouldn't put it in your MM until it's been properly composted, or else it'll leech nutrients away from your plants instead of providing them with what they need.

Meredith Leavitt 4/25/2012, 3:27 pm

Thanks...it sounds like I should just buy the bagged compost to start my beds with. I see on another site that there is already bagged Mel's Mix that you can buy in Itha? does anyone know where to get that?

Thanks for your help,

Meredith

Lindacol 4/25/2012, 7:28 pm

If you are near Ogden, Utah you can pick it up at the SFG store:

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/soil-components/mels-mix/

Meredith Leavitt wrote:Thanks...it sounds like I should just buy the bagged compost to start my beds with. I see on another site that there is already bagged Mel's Mix that you can buy in Itha? does anyone know where to get that?

Thanks for your help,

Meredith

Triciasgarden 5/8/2012, 7:18 pm

I have used the compost from the Transjordan Landfill for a few years. I used it in my sfg boxes. Since I have been amending my garden soil before sfg and since finances were tight, I combined the landfill compost, peat moss, vermiculite, and some garden soil. It worked very well for me. It did have some small pieces of branches not completely composted but if it seemed too big, I tossed it to the side. I have seven 4' x 6' and will be adding two more this year. I got a good deal on the wood and didn't want to waste any by cutting 2' off.

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Is the compost from the dump in Salt Lake City ok to use as part of the compost mix?

Is the compost from the dump in Salt Lake City ok to use as part of the compost mix?

Re: Is the compost from the dump in Salt Lake City ok to use as part of the compost mix?

Re: Is the compost from the dump in Salt Lake City ok to use as part of the compost mix?

Re: Is the compost from the dump in Salt Lake City ok to use as part of the compost mix?

Re: Is the compost from the dump in Salt Lake City ok to use as part of the compost mix?

Re: Is the compost from the dump in Salt Lake City ok to use as part of the compost mix?

Compost from Landfill

Re: Is the compost from the dump in Salt Lake City ok to use as part of the compost mix?


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