Subject: Re: Is this compost organic anyway?
From: <pyrclark@crosslink.net>
Organization: Bent Oak Farm
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 23:30:24 -0500
Message-ID: <MOD$970908.25687@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$970905.26997@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
dhs wrote:
>
> I need a few cubic yards of compost for my new rose and peony beds. The
> farmer next door runs a compost business: gardeners and landscapers bring
> their garden clippings and he puts them into a big pile (several stories
> high). After a while, this becomes compost, very dark. I looked at it, and
> it seems fine (but what do I know?).
> He says that this stuff is organic (not certified). But when lanscapers
> bring the refuse from my suburbs where everybody uses pesticides, why
> should the compost become then "organic"? Are they pulling my leg? Is there
> a way to buy organic compost? I cannot produce enough in my garden. ( this
> stuff goes for $23 a cubic yard -delivered. Is this outrageous a price?)
>
> Thank you for your ideas. Lisa
Lisa . . .I would be very reluctant to use that compost, unless you can
verify that no one put herbicides or other types of poisons on their
lawn. Judging from your screen name, you appear to be "up north". I
would run around this fall and get as many leaves as you can for your
compost pile. Many times, people will give you their bagged leaves.
Use these to supplement your compost pile. You can also augment your
soil with well-composted horse manure which will help in breaking it
down. But, we rely solely on Fall leaves supplemented with green
kitchen left-overs and by the time we are ready to plant, the compost is
ready. It helps to turn it frequently, keep it watered. If at all
possible, a bright sunny place which can heat up your compost pile will
also aid in the process. The nice thing about having your own compost
pile is that you know the organic materials that go into it. And . .
.part of organic gardening is to develop a certain patience with life
and nature. that old phrase . . ."Let nature take its course . . ."
certainly makes sense. If you do not have enough compost to till into
your garden, you can always wait until Spring. If you run out of
compost, then the following year you can top-dress your soil with
compost (used like mulch)or dig compost in and around plants. Best
wishes! Fern BTW . . .there is nothing more satisfying than to walk by
the compost pile on a frosty morning in February and watch steam coming
off the compost pile!