What do you think of this compost? It's regular coastal compost.

[Julian777ju]

 

[DirtMechanic]

What is the context of "regular"? Do elevated salt levels play a part since it is from the coast for example? It certainly looks nice and finished!

 

[Julian777ju]

What is the context of "regular"? Do elevated salt levels play a part since it is from the coast for example? It certainly looks nice and finished!

That's what the place that sells it claims it as "regular coastal compost" why not exactly sure it's good stuff I guess its not as potent with organic matter as some other's compost. I got 2 big barrels of this stuff. They are greedy company they wont give you finished compost without talking mess. They tried to give me straight wood chips from the top of the big piles while they got good dirt in the back. An lie say we don't have finished compost. I hate them they only want to sell it in bags. They won't sell nobody that stuff by the load. All the wood is free wood volunteered to them. Then they sell it back to the community an try to take advantage of people sorry for the rant

 

[Meadowlark]

... All the wood is free wood volunteered to them. Then they sell it back to the community an try to take advantage of people sorry for the rant

That is some good-looking stuff. It takes some equipment and a lot of hard work to make that stuff. Been there and done that. Just saying and not defending their practices.

Also, they can probably make more by selling in bags rather than truck loads. I don't know what they are charging...but I've seen places charging $60 to $70 per 1 cu. ft. bag. I call it Black Gold.

 

[Don Perry]

That's what the place that sells it claims it as "regular coastal compost" why not exactly sure it's good stuff I guess its not as potent with organic matter as some other's compost. I got 2 big barrels of this stuff. They are greedy company they wont give you finished compost without talking mess. They tried to give me straight wood chips from the top of the big piles while they got good dirt in the back. An lie say we don't have finished compost. I hate them they only want to sell it in bags. They won't sell nobody that stuff by the load. All the wood is free wood volunteered to them. Then they sell it back to the community an try to take advantage of people sorry for the rantView attachment 95127

That is what letting them know you will be shopping elsewhere is for. Don't put up with that B.S. !

 

[Don Perry]

Here in Ada, OK, the local Agriplex wants us to come every Wednesday And pick up loads of cattle manure, saw chips, horse manure, etc. That will be very green , but I've 5 acres to pile it up somewhere and let it age 3 or 4 years. They will load you up as much as you want.
You might check with your local sewage plant and see if they sell reclaimed dirt. They haul it off to a disposal area and it sits there "forever". It becomes dirt.

 

[Julian777ju]

That is some good-looking stuff. It takes some equipment and a lot of hard work to make that stuff. Been there and done that. Just saying and not defending their practices.

Also, they can probably make more by selling in bags rather than truck loads. I don't know what they are charging...but I've seen places charging $60 to $70 per 1 cu. ft. bag. I call it Black Gold.

I donated these greedy fat pigs a lot of loads of wood. They charged me hundreds of dollars, now they won't even give me some compost that's at the bottom of the dirt pile. That's why I was pissed, regardless its still greedy as hell. To charge people for a load of mulch an lying saying they dont have finished compost. That place is all donated wood from the community.

 

[Julian777ju]

That is what letting them know you will be shopping elsewhere is for. Don't put up with that B.S. !

Its the closest place to get a load. But, they want to force you to take what they want to give you. I gave them terrible feedback online.

 

[CreakyGardener]

That's what the place that sells it claims it as "regular coastal compost" why not exactly sure it's good stuff I guess its not as potent with organic matter as some other's compost. I got 2 big barrels of this stuff. They are greedy company they wont give you finished compost without talking mess. They tried to give me straight wood chips from the top of the big piles while they got good dirt in the back. An lie say we don't have finished compost. I hate them they only want to sell it in bags. They won't sell nobody that stuff by the load. All the wood is free wood volunteered to them. Then they sell it back to the community an try to take advantage of people sorry for the rantView attachment 95127

It's a valid complaint. We also have an outfit that sells it by the yard, but they don't age it well enough and you never know what's in it. The last 3 yards I ordered (and never went back), I had to call complaining it was a yard short. When I got to spreading it, I noticed trash in it, plastic, office paper, all kinds of garbage. I had little choice so I just dealt with it, spreading it out.

I was away for a bit. When I came back every flower bed and even my yard where I added it, was solid weeds! I mean solid. Weeds I'd never even seen before. Plus my plants started to stress and some died. Maybe something allopathic was in it? IDK. Work was so backed up I couldn't deal with it soon enough and when I did, it was disaster. Never seen things grow so fast before. It felt like I was starting all over again and I wanted to give up. Some seeded and got away from me, so I'm still battling them 4 yrs later. By sharing my story, I hope it'll make you fell better knowing it could be a lot worse? Ha!

I used to work for a landscape company, after picking up material and seeing what could be in mulch, I have a hard time trusting the bagged stuff unless it for flower potting. There are places here that produce mulch/compost in bags and ship it out to stores. Long story short: I noticed they were chipping up OSB, Plywood and lumber scrap also. I asked them how can you get away with that considering all the toxic stains, glues and sealers in them that could end up in someone's garden? He dismissed me saying, "All wood is considered organic!"

Since then I only go to places that sell other peoples debris. Because to their credit, most will not accept building materials. It's mostly from landscapers and peoples overwhelmed yards. I found a supply that doesn't come with trash in it. And I'm lucky enough to have an area where I leave it in a pile and let it sit for a year or two. Since the big 'Weed Seige' of 2019, I age it myself as a precaution, keeping it covered and moist for long periods. No problems since.

 

[Don Perry]

Sounds like you got into about the same thing as "Dyno Dirt", which is shrub compost, tree trimmings and 'Biosolids'. They are supposed to age it , I'm told, but I have about 2 yards of this stuff still sitting in the back corner after 2 years . Weeds grow like crazy in it but I'm having problems growing veggies . Maybe its too hot.
I think I'm going to bite the bullet and fill my last two raised beds with a mix of native soil from here on my acreage and garden soil. It will be a test, Ill let y'all know what I find later in the season.
Biosolids is compressed and dried sewage. It has been tested safe to use , but I wonder.

 

[CreakyGardener]

Sounds like you got into about the same thing as "Dyno Dirt", which is shrub compost, tree trimmings and 'Biosolids'. They are supposed to age it , I'm told, but I have about 2 yards of this stuff still sitting in the back corner after 2 years . Weeds grow like crazy in it but I'm having problems growing veggies . Maybe its too hot.
I think I'm going to bite the bullet and fill my last two raised beds with a mix of native soil from here on my acreage and garden soil. It will be a test, Ill let y'all know what I find later in the season.
Biosolids is compressed and dried sewage. It has been tested safe to use , but I wonder.

Yes definitely, let us know how it turns out, if you would.

I finally broke down and bought a used Mighty Mac Chipper / Shredder on CraigsList a couple yrs ago. It's an older machine but it's built to last, be repaired and parts are all still available. One of the many benefits of this brand. I could literally rebuild it if I wanted to.

Now days I shred/mulch everything into a fine material. I spread it everywhere and anywhere. Our neighbors had cedar & pine trees removed. The arborists dumped the chippings on my property for free, to get rid of it. Later running it through the chipper / shredder I was amazed at what came out the other end. I can turn it into anything from flower bed bark chips to fine sawdust compost. Be it leaves, tree removal, neighborly donations or pruning it eats it right up, Best $300 I ever spent and it's saved me money in the long run not buying mulch as much. It's solved disposal problems and I don't have to tend to a burn pile anymore. My yard soil has improved drastically. Wish I'd thought of it a long time ago.

 

[Julian777ju]

It's a valid complaint. We also have an outfit that sells it by the yard, but they don't age it well enough and you never know what's in it. The last 3 yards I ordered (and never went back), I had to call complaining it was a yard short. When I got to spreading it, I noticed trash in it, plastic, office paper, all kinds of garbage. I had little choice so I just dealt with it, spreading it out.

I was away for a bit. When I came back every flower bed and even my yard where I added it, was solid weeds! I mean solid. Weeds I'd never even seen before. Plus my plants started to stress and some died. Maybe something allopathic was in it? IDK. Work was so backed up I couldn't deal with it soon enough and when I did, it was disaster. Never seen things grow so fast before. It felt like I was starting all over again and I wanted to give up. Some seeded and got away from me, so I'm still battling them 4 yrs later. By sharing my story, I hope it'll make you fell better knowing it could be a lot worse? Ha!

I used to work for a landscape company, after picking up material and seeing what could be in mulch, I have a hard time trusting the bagged stuff unless it for flower potting. There are places here that produce mulch/compost in bags and ship it out to stores. Long story short: I noticed they were chipping up OSB, Plywood and lumber scrap also. I asked them how can you get away with that considering all the toxic stains, glues and sealers in them that could end up in someone's garden? He dismissed me saying, "All wood is considered organic!"

Since then I only go to places that sell other peoples debris. Because to their credit, most will not accept building materials. It's mostly from landscapers and peoples overwhelmed yards. I found a supply that doesn't come with trash in it. And I'm lucky enough to have an area where I leave it in a pile and let it sit for a year or two. Since the big 'Weed Seige' of 2019, I age it myself as a precaution, keeping it covered and moist for long periods. No problems since.

Interesting story.. about the topics you discussed also yes I do think about that. If my compost is possibly toxic. Does it matter if the wood was treated or untreated that was used to make the compost? Are you able to have any access to any types of manures from local farmers?