Compost Safety

I'm new to gardening as this is my first try. 

I've built a 4' x 8' garden bed and am going to make my own Mel's Mix. 
Also, planting blueberry trees in the ground and going to use peat moss and compost.

My question is: How safe is the compost in reference to my two dogs. Does everything need to be blocked off so they do not ingest any?

thanks for the help and I'm glad to have found a forum I like.

New Member YorkR88 from Texas   
from Kelejan

What part of Texas?  I visited San Antonio many years ago and I know what a big place Texas is. They let me know that whatever they have, it is the biggest.

Welcome from Ohio, yorkR88!  Whatcha got on your plan for 2016?  Share as much as you can, and pics are super helpful, if you are at that phase!  

York, Welcome to the Forum from California! It looks like you are in the Lower South growing Region, but also close to the Southwest Dessert Region. Is your weather rainy or dry? I hope this thread from our Search Box / archives helps. You can always build dual or triple compost bins if you are concerned

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t19947-pets-dangerous-compost-for-dogs?highlight=compost

Welcome to the forum.  We're so glad to have you here.

Dogs love digging into compost and there are a lot of things that can make them sick and even kill them.  My dog almost died this summer with convulsions from eating something that was moldy in my garden.  I had emptied the fridge of some bad stuff including some things that were moldy and watered it into the ground until it had all disappeared.  

I did not realize that Chino had gone after it and literally ate the dirt that had the mold and within minutes was laying immobile, foaming at the mouth and twitching...  It was scary but fortunately she is no worse for the wear (but our pocket book is out a large chunk of change for the ER visit.)

I learned my lesson the hard way, so I'm SO GLAD YOU ASKED.  Just keep the compost fully contained in an area your dogs and cats can't reach and you can throw almost anything in there to turn it into black gold for you garden!

Hi YorkR88. Welcome from Atlanta, GA!

Was in Killeen for about 15 months several years ago - Ft. Hood.

Don't have much to add at this point since I didn't start SFG until after our dog-kids were gone... But I'd work on keeping them out...

On your blueberries, they're cousins to azaleas, so they like acid. Peat moss, pine bark nuggets, etc. should work well. Be sure to get a couple of different varieties for pollination. We've got 6 plants of 3 different varieties in our yard.

Hello again,

Its been a few days since I've been able to get on, but I appreciate all the replies and help.

I think I'm going to pass on the compost pile this year and focus on the growing. I've got so many seedlings of different veggies going that I may have overwhelmed myself a bit. 

I'm going to build a barrier or gate structure to keep the dogs out of the garden bed and hopefully do not have to worry about the compost affecting the dogs. 

A list of what I have going: spinach, tomatoes, peppers, banana peppers, cucumbers, squash, cantaloupe, lettuce, cilantro, carrots, and possibly potatoes in a tower and strawberry. I've got the two blueberry trees in the ground, (climax and alapaha).

I will post pics of my seedlings maybe everyone can pitch their knowledge on thinning and when to thin as well as transplants.

I have my 72 pack seed starter (on day 5) with the cucumber, squash, and lettuce doing really good. Peppers were starting to come through yesterday. I've got two small lamps to simulate daylight. However, I have a problem. I am having to leave town today, thanks to my wife, and not sure what to do with my seedlings??

Thanks for the help!!
RY

AtlantaMarie wrote:Hi YorkR88.  Welcome from Atlanta, GA!

Was in Killeen for about 15 months several years ago - Ft. Hood.

Don't have much to add at this point since I didn't start SFG until after our dog-kids were gone...  But I'd work on keeping them out...

On your blueberries, they're cousins to azaleas, so they like acid.  Peat moss, pine bark nuggets, etc. should work well.  Be sure to get a couple of different varieties for pollination.  We've got 6 plants of 3 different varieties in our yard.

On the blueberry trees I used Peat Moss, Organic Compost with bark, and some of the native soil I have which thrives with organic matter. Also, used a pile of Oak leaves for mulch

York, Fluorescent lights on timers. Incandescent lights don't provide the necessary type of light. For today you can set them close to a southern window.

I have two CFL lights going right now. They are not directly above them, more about a foot up, using some southern engineering. Will it hurt to run them constantly for the weekend without the timer. I'm leaving town tonight and don't have time to purchase and install. Or would you recommend just moving near a window and calling it good?

Pictures of my set-up to follow...
RY

Everyone,

Here are some starter pics to get things going. Suggestions are welcome as you all are much more experienced than I am. 

I have a peat pod tray with various different vegetables.

The largest are the cukes and squash. tomatoes are starting to emerge today. Lettuce is up and going but very small. Some Banana Peppers and Jalepenos have started to emerge as well. The spinach, cilantro Parsley have not shown any signs yet. This is only day 5 since planting seeds. The spinach in the clay pot outside has done well though. The garden bed is also built and ready but no soil has been added yet.

Oh my goodness, you've been busy!  Looks great!  Bet you're wondering why your photos are sideways.  Beats me but it seems to happen sometimes.   Also, you may be in the wrong thread so don't be surprised if it gets moved.

Will lettuce grow in the TX heat?

CC

CapeCoddess wrote:Oh my goodness, you've been busy!  Looks great!  Bet you're wondering why your photos are sideways.  Beats me but it seems to happen sometimes.   Also, you may be in the wrong thread so don't be surprised if it gets moved.

Will lettuce grow in the TX heat?

CC

thanks! Honestly, I'm not sure on the lettuce. Even if I have to plant and harvest before it gets warm and once it cools down that will be fine. 

I'm kind of worried that I started cukes and squash too early and should have planted them directly outside once temps warm up.

I would move the thread but I'm not too sure how.

Nah, you can't move your posts.  Sanderson or Camp can do it if they think it needs moving.

No worries, you can do both with your cukes and squash!  Plant some seeds when the soil is warm enough, along with your starts, and see what happens.  That way you'll know forever more what works best in your garden.

You could probably grow your lettuce in full shade for a while once it gets warm out.
And remember, there are no failures - only learning experiences.
Have fun with it all!  That's what counts.  

CC

Here is my light set-up for the weekend out of town. Lights on 20hrs with 4 hour rest. 

Also, roots were in good shape on cukes and transplanted them into bigger pots to make it easier when I return. Figured the roots would be tangled and to hard to separate.

Ready to see the progress when I return.
RY

Should be okay for the weekend.

sanderson wrote:Should be okay for the weekend.

Perfect! Thanks Sanderson!

Hubby finally rebuilt my palette compost pile set, yay!  I didn't have it all of last year and really missed the ability to contain my compost and keep the dogs out.  Not pretty, but they'll do the job for another couple years!!!

Audrey, Photo with pallets??

Yes, please!!

You guys are seriously "sick puppies" if you want to see my decrepit pallet composting bins, lol!  Same ones I had before but moved to the backyard so they're even uglier, lol!!!

But we love ugly! Ugly usually means practical and affordable, right? Your photo may inspire someone to build a cage.

It also usually means well-used (and well-loved in our cases, lol!).

Yes, please, Audrey.Jeanne....

AtlantaMarie wrote:It also usually means well-used (and well-loved in our cases, lol!).

Yes, please, Audrey.Jeanne....

+1