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Carrollton, Ga.

hi,
i am going to get some corn silage at a diary farm this evening. i ask the farmer if it was rotten and he said it was getting there. how can i tell if it is rotten enough to put in my planting hole.
thanks,
doug
1st cor. 3;7

6/17/2005 2:20:00 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

If you see the farmer ask him if the outside layer of the clamp was salted before covering if it was leave any bits that look like crust behind if you can.
I'm not sure how rotten is rotten enough but if it feels warm or hot I would compost it first.
Mark

6/17/2005 2:48:36 PM

Montoursville, PA

The above warning is very important. Using salted silage would be a definate reason, to be concerned about this find.

However if no additives including salt were added it would be a good additive, in any compost pile. Be aware that corn plants break down very slowly. The percentage, of the corn plants, to the total, of your pile would not matter if time, to usage, of the compost pile is no absolute factor.

Unless your compost is a hot working pile and more nitrogen containing materials are being added regularly it may take a year, to finish this additive.

This matter should not go, in the ground, as it was found. The answer the farmer gave only indicates that it has begun to spoil therefore it is unsuitable, for cattle feed.

Basically anything that was once a living plant will rot and be a part of good compost...each item being given their time in relation, to the working speed, of a compost pile.

6/17/2005 4:38:53 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Check the PH also...Corn Silage is fermented to preserve it.

6/17/2005 5:00:13 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

It came up last year.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=20&p=65898

6/17/2005 5:54:41 PM

Hobbiton New Zealand

One Dude I run a large scale dairy farm here in New Zealand and when A farmer says it is no good to feed to the cattle it only has to be very small amount of rot as if the cow is in calf it will cause her to abort the calf so it will not be very rotted I am guessing. I had a pile at home here if you look at the above post link and it took about 1 ton of urea to fire it up hot enought to compost properly which is more than most want to spend just to make compost but we use so much on the farm it will not be missed when the tax man gets to see the accounts. And check how much salt got applied if any some put it on when the stack is getting covered it saves having to put it in the mix before feeding to stock.

6/18/2005 2:53:27 AM