Everything You Know About Composting is Wrong

[Redbaron]

Just something to think about for those having difficulty with composting.


The only thing I would add to this excellent talk is grass clippings. Mixing grass clippings with shredded leaves heats up a pile just as well as the coffee grounds he mentioned.

[peppero]

I have been using leaves for many years and they have treated me real well.

jon

[Tracydr]

Alfalfa hay also heats up the pile. And, manure of chickens, ducks, horses,etc.
Scott-I'm removing a large patch of English Ivy. I'm planning of letting it sit int the sun a few days to dry out. Will it count as a green or brown? I have a pretty brown pile right now, hoping this will help. Any other tips to prevent transplanting the ivy to the compost pile?

[COMPOSTER]

Thanks for posting this video Redbbaron! Instructive, entertaining and timely. Love the simplicity!

Glenn

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Alfalfa hay also heats up the pile. And, manure of chickens, ducks, horses,etc.
Scott-I'm removing a large patch of English Ivy. I'm planning of letting it sit int the sun a few days to dry out. Will it count as a green or brown? I have a pretty brown pile right now, hoping this will help. Any other tips to prevent transplanting the ivy to the compost pile?

I wish I had tips. I am battling poison ivy myself......and loosing.

[ScottinAtlanta]

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Alfalfa hay also heats up the pile. And, manure of chickens, ducks, horses,etc.
Scott-I'm removing a large patch of English Ivy. I'm planning of letting it sit int the sun a few days to dry out. Will it count as a green or brown? I have a pretty brown pile right now, hoping this will help. Any other tips to prevent transplanting the ivy to the compost pile?

Also agree, it is a good vid.

Can you shred or chip the ivy? I do that with kudzu vines, and never had any resurrection. If you put them in fresh, they will be greens.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Also agree, it is a good vid.

Can you shred or chip the ivy? I do that with kudzu vines, and never had any resurrection. If you put them in fresh, they will be greens.

I probably can. I'll ask my husband to help me get the shredder started and run a few lengths through, see how it goes. That's a good idea! The ivy is growing out of a circular planter on my back patio. It has set a mat of roots down into the most beautiful layer of what seems to be vermicompost, I assume from leaves and debris under the branches.
Scott-what do you mean by tips?
I think I also have some poison ivy in the woods. I don't think I'm sensitive to poison ivy so I don't tend to recognize it well. In all my years of military and hunting/tramping through the woods, I've never gotten poison ivy. Which is weird because I seem to have the world's most sensitive skin.
My husband has never gotten it, either. Our grandson helped us with our move and he got a rash from just cleaning the horse trailer and dumping the shavings in a pile in the woods at the edge of my garden!

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Scott-what do you mean by tips?
!

Tips for killing the demon spawn without using harsh chemicles that will harm my garden. The back fence is being turned into a poison ivy hedge. I can't get to the other side of the fence because it is a military base. On my side everything I have tried just makes it grow stronger and lusher. It's well over 10 feet tall this year.

[peppero]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

Tips for killing the demon spawn without using harsh chemicles that will harm my garden. The back fence is being turned into a poison ivy hedge. I can't get to the other side of the fence because it is a military base. On my side everything I have tried just makes it grow stronger and lusher. It's well over 10 feet tall this year.

I have used vinegar, salt and detergent treatment and knocked it back quite a bit. got the formula off of the pinterest site.

jon

[RootLoops]

maybe you could salt the fence row? if you aren't growing anything along it that is. i'd have no idea how to go about it but high salt should kill any plant i would think at some point

[Tracydr]

I can't see the video link. Could you give me the cliff notes?

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

Tips for killing the demon spawn without using harsh chemicles that will harm my garden. The back fence is being turned into a poison ivy hedge. I can't get to the other side of the fence because it is a military base. On my side everything I have tried just makes it grow stronger and lusher. It's well over 10 feet tall this year.

Are you near Tinker or Ft. Sill? I retired from Ft. Sill and did my residency in Lawton.
If I was there I'd get on the other side of that fence for you unless it's restricted. Any chance of burning it in the winter? Then, spraying with goycophosphate?
I spent another half day pulling English Ivy. Man, the vermicompost under this plant is awesome! We have the fattest, longest and fastest moving earthworms that I've ever seen! Put about 25 in the compost barrel.
I have a huge pile starting, plus a tumble. I put the good stuff in the tumbler and things that will take longer in the pile.
I also have a pile of leaves and pine straw that are probably 5-6 years old. Going to mix it in my new garden.

[AlittleSalt]

Good Video. I've been using oak leaves twice a year since 2011. Our soil has gotten better each year.

There is one bad thing about the leaves in the garden though. Both Squash bugs and Harlequin bugs live in those leaves over winter. I've been doing a lot of reading on those two bugs here lately because they about killed or squash and turnip plants.