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San Jose [email protected]

I have a lumber yard by my house, and the make tons of saw dust a year, I am sure I can get it for free, I assume it will be mostly douglas fir.

1. Would this be good for my clayish soil

2. I am planning on adding it this fall, how much can/should I add per 100sq ft.

3. If/when I add it, do I need to counter ballance it with something else.

4. fill in the blank, im sure I didn't cover all the basis, and help is most appreciated.

grow em BIG

Gary

5/11/2005 10:40:23 PM

Nc

Saw dust can lower the ph of soil...I put some on a garden a few years ago and my pH fell out the bottom as the sawdust broke down. Maybe some of the others can say how much to use....I may have put too much that wasn't broken down good enough.

5/11/2005 10:52:49 PM

Puyallup, WA

I found that it takes about two years for sawdust to break down into usable components that the plants can use. One has to add additional nitrogen to help with the breakdown of sawdust. It will help with the tilth of clay soil.
It would be better if you could find some chicken manure to add to the sawdust.

5/11/2005 10:57:19 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Gary - compost it first, you got time. Like Stan said chicken Manure will help, or get some Urea. I believe that the C to N ratio is one of the highest for sawdust.
It will need to cook for a while.

5/12/2005 2:23:38 AM

NEPA [email protected] KB3QKV

I don't know if the same would apply to pumpkins but I recently bought some blueberry bushes and in the instructions for planting and culturing the plants it says "Warning—Sawdust or leaves can limit or prevent rains from reaching the soil. We recommend using drip irrigation placed under the mulch. Then you may apply water at your convenience and know the water is getting to the root zone where it is needed."

5/12/2005 8:01:31 AM

Waquoit Mass

buy some worms throw em in they will make castings for you

5/12/2005 8:18:59 AM

Waquoit Mass

throw em in the sawdust if you have room to store at your house

5/12/2005 8:20:22 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

I get sawdust all the time ...carbon/nitrogen ratio is like 500/1 as opposed to normal composting material usually around 30/1....any high nitrogen material will help chicken manure and urea are beneficial to aid in composting..you will find also that as OM it will stay in the soil a little longer and also remember that when it is broken down it will release the "stolen" nitrogen that's left. works great on clay soil...just need a little patience with it..

5/12/2005 8:31:50 AM

Montoursville, PA

This is the best way I know, to screw up soil ballance. Patience or no. I would not put it, in the soil. What it does, in a compost pile does not matter, if the pile can be held until the sawdust breaks down completely.

This tricky dern stuff. The risks outlive the benefits in my mind. Compost it first. Anything composted completely is good stuff.

5/12/2005 12:27:21 PM

Oz

Pile it up with some brush,(enclose)and cover, with some roof sheathing and hardware cloth.
let some hot bbq coals into the top....

What would be a good additive to old ,,7yr wood chipper pile compost?
Id thought id add some active hot mulch to bring the temp up to kill fungus.

5/12/2005 3:28:37 PM

San Jose [email protected]

Thanks for all the feedback, I already do worm composting, so I will slowly add the stuff to what I got going already.

Gary

5/12/2005 6:36:23 PM