Compost Types

Hey Guys! I am building some new beds and replacing my old non-mm with mm in my old beds. What does everything think of the following composts:

Black Hen
Bloomin-Ez*
Mushroom
Black Kow
Cotton Burr

*From the customer service guy at Bloomin-Ez "Bloomin EZ has no peat in it we compost agricultural crop residues and our chicken manure until it turns to Humus at least 3 month"

Do you think its okay to have both black hen and bloomin ez? Too much chicken?

I've moved this topic to the compost discussion forum.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd be concerned what "agricultural crop residues" are exactly.

I've had great luck with the cotton burr compost I purchased, but it's been mentioned that cotton crops can be treated with chemicals.

Thanks for the reply! The guy at Bloomin Ez says they get the compost up to 131 degrees to 'kill' any chemicals etc.

What do you think about using black hen and bloomin ez? Too much chicken manure? I am having trouble finding anything else.

Quote ....kills chemicals by heat ... Hmmmmmm usually the heat is to kill weed seeds and pests . ...

Some chemicals will decay or change state with prolonged heat but I doubt that it is as low as you've been told . T'would be interesting to learn more.

Powerstations that burn plant materials have to get the flue gasses up to six or so hundred degrees or even higher to kill / neutralize chemicals in the flue gases that have been released from combusting the plant based materials.

Since the Bloomin Ez is a blend, I think you will be ok using it and the black hen. I admit I use 1 bag of black hen to every 1 bag of black kow so by volume I have less hen the kow, but with the others it has been working well. I admit cost played a factor.

Kay

Yes! Cost is always a factor, lol. I'm looking at abut $290.00 to fill 6 4x4's. I know it will be worth it, but still it's a lot of money and I don't want to mess it up!

Chilliard wrote:Yes! Cost is always a factor, lol. I'm looking at abut $290.00 to fill 6 4x4's. I know it will be worth it, but still it's a lot of money and I don't want to mess it up!

If he actually told you the heat would kill chemicals, a very interesting statement, I would be suspicious of anything else he told you. but that's just me.

Have you thought about making building a the garden a process, instead of an event. For example, build 3 this year and 3 next year and build a compost pile this winter to make the Mel's mix next year? That should cut costs and still be manageable. 6 boxes is a lot.

camprn wrote:

Chilliard wrote:Yes! Cost is always a factor, lol. I'm looking at abut $290.00 to fill 6 4x4's. I know it will be worth it, but still it's a lot of money and I don't want to mess it up!

If he actually told you the heat would kill chemicals, a very interesting statement, I would be suspicious of anything else he told you. but that's just me.

Have you thought about making building a the garden a process, instead of an event. For example, build 3 this year and 3 next year and build a compost pile this winter to make the Mel's mix next year? That should cut costs and still be manageable. 6 boxes is a lot.

Great suggestions Camprn. I actually already have 2 4x4's but I cheaped out last year and just used peat moss and a compost made from the local yard waste from the city. I ended up adding some black kow and working it into the boxes and it helped perk up my plants. I still got 'ok' results so I am confident that the real deal mm will really do the trick. I managed to get a pretty good yield of peppers and toms.

My boyfriend and I are not quite vegetarians but we do eat mostly vegetables so I think 6 boxes will help feed us and hopefully some left over for canning and giving away. Here is a snapshot of my layout for the fall. I have modified it many times but I think this is going to work well.



BS is brussels sprouts
KR is Kohlrabi
Mini Cab is miniature orange chinese cabbage
Jap MG - mustard greens

"Will composting break down pesticide residues?

Yes -- the microbial decomposition that occurs during composting breaks down the types of pesticides currently on the market, and composting is sometimes used to degrade pesticide residues commercially. (Non-biodegradable pesticides such as DDT and chlordane are no longer allowed to be sold in the U.S.)."

http://compost.css.cornell.edu/faq.html#pesticide residues

"Most of the pesticides and herbicides currently on the market are not as persistent in the environment as pesticides and herbicides of decades ago. Therefore, much of the problematic elements in pesticides and herbicides dissipate over time, regardless of the composting methods employed. Furthermore, the heat and microbial activity of composting helps to break down pesticides and herbicides. So as a general guidance, once a reasonable amount of time has passed since application the organic materials treated with pesticides and herbicides may be composted. Always check the label for proper handling of pesticides and herbicides."

http://sarasota.ifas.ufl.edu/compost-info/tutorial/problematic-materials.shtml#herbicides

plantoid wrote: Quote ....kills chemicals by heat ... Hmmmmmm usually the heat is to kill weed seeds and pests . ...

Some chemicals will decay or change state with prolonged heat but I doubt that it is as low as you've been told . T'would be interesting to learn more.

Powerstations that burn plant materials have to get the flue gasses up to six or so hundred degrees or even higher to kill / neutralize chemicals in the flue gases that have been released from combusting the plant based materials.

If it were me, I would plant far less lettuce and increase the number of beets. This is just off the top of my head. This year, I only planted about three squares of lettuce and didn't plant head lettuce. I am still harvesting (a lot) from what I planted in May. Had I been on my game this year, I would've planted earlier. Anyway, we have so much lettuce. I planted three squares of arugula twice, one early and a second crop later. This was enough, too. I also planted three squares of a mesclun/Asian mix. Again, just my opinion based on what I did--

nycquilter wrote:If it were me, I would plant far less lettuce and increase the number of beets. This is just off the top of my head. This year, I only planted about three squares of lettuce and didn't plant head lettuce. I am still harvesting (a lot) from what I planted in May. Had I been on my game this year, I would've planted earlier. Anyway, we have so much lettuce. I planted three squares of arugula twice, one early and a second crop later. This was enough, too. I also planted three squares of a mesclun/Asian mix. Again, just my opinion based on what I did--

+1 on the lettuce, I had about 4 squares of different leaf lettuces planted and it fed a family of 5 including several dinner parties with quite a few guests! Until the deeer got it, .

RoOsTeR wrote:I've moved this topic to the compost discussion forum.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd be concerned what "agricultural crop residues" are exactly.

I've had great luck with the cotton burr compost I purchased, but it's been mentioned that cotton crops can be treated with chemicals.

We use Agricultural crop residues such as wheat straw, old hay, and cotton gin trash (which is the leaves and burs after they are separated from the cotton).

http://www.humbleacresorganics.com/Products.html

Its a product from an organic farm....so I am pretty sure its ok.