How to pamper berry bushes?

[nelson castro]

just because the calender says it's spring, doesn't mean it's safe to plant, yet.

Couldn't agree more. Temperature is definitely a major factor to consider in planting.

 

[897tgigvib]

Anew, lawn clippings make a compost heap bigger and taller in a hurry.

 

[canesisters]

a pile about 3 feet high

3 feet high




That's a lot of horse manure....Golly...I'm gonna need a wheel borrow...and a big shovel...and...super powers...yep, that's what I need, super compost creating super powers...it's the only way. LOL

Okay okay, seriously now, Thank you for the info, I'm going to see what I can do about procuring that wheel barrow and shovel...I don't know about the super powers though, I may have to find some kind of radioactive compost heap to get those


So do I need to cover it or anything? Do I need to put it in some kind of container? Sorry, I really am a newby here

Don't worry Anew, you can do this! It's not as hard as you think to make a 3' high pile if you add in other stuff too. As others have said, grass clippings are great. If you don't have a bagger on your mower, find someone who does and see if you can work something out. "I'll mow your grass this weekend if I can have the clippings" Ask others to save them for you too. I've heard that coffee shops will give you BAGS of used grounds. Check at your local florist and see if you can have all the trimmings/clippings/spoiled flowers (you may have to pick out some other stuff as they might agree but not be willing to seperate just plant material for you).
Yes, you are going to need a wheel barrow. How else are you going to transport all that great compost all over your yard? Yard sales and Goodwill/Salvation Army stores are a good source for them. Also, get yourself a good sturdy (Heavy) metal pitch fork. The best way I've found so far for turning a tall pile is to divide it into quarters. Working one quarter at a time, use the pitchfork to scrape several inches deep from the surface and put it to your left. Then dig out the deeper stuff and put that to your right. If you have anything new to add to the pile, put 1/4 of it in the deepest part of the hole that you've just dug. Then cover with the stuff from your left and top with the stuff from your right. Continue around doing the same thing to each quarter. There will be a lot of loose stuff left laying around when you're done so use a good leaf rake to rake it all up to the top of your pile. Rake HARD around the bottom, you want to rake that stuff right up to the top and get that pile as high and narrow as you can. I believe that the weight just might have a lot to do with how fast the center heats up.
Go for it!!!

Oh, and after a going around that pile a few times... you'll start to develop those super powers.

 

[897tgigvib]

One thing Cane forgot to mention is, don't forget to name your compost pile!

Oh another thing. For some mystical reason, it may be a zen thing, but you may start with a mountain 43,000 feet tall, but after it grows all nice and fungusy, it shrinks to a mound 3 feet high.

Seriously though, collecting wild mushrooms and putting them in all chopped up helps a lot. Don't put them deep inside where it's too hot. Those you want to grow even if you don't see them grow.

Anew, now you're really into gardening!

 

[MontyJ]

You don't need a container, and you don't need to cover it unles it's going to rain for several days in a row. Just pile it up high and turn it often. Keep an eye on the moisture content and it will go to town for you.

 

[baymule]

Anew, I have horses also and I use their manure for the garden. The difference between horse poop and other animals, is horses are not ruminants. Ruminants like cows, sheep and goats chew the cud. That means the grass and weeds they eat get thouroughly chewed up, fermented, chewed up again and go through several stomachs, then to the intestines before plopping on the ground for us garden gurus to scoop up. Horses chew, swallow, it goes to their cecum, a large stomach where the grasses are fermented and then to the intestines before turning into garden plop. Horse poop has a LOT of weed/grass seeds in it. Horse poop should be given time to compost to reduce the weed seeds you will be adding to your garden. Ask me how I know.

I am a super-duper-pooper-scooper!

Make a lot of poop piles. I seem to always have a poop pile cooking. Mix with grass clippings or leaves. The horse poop cleaned from stalls that has wood shavings in it needs at least a year to completely break down.

Hmmmm.........maybe you could rig up a harness with a collector bag so you wouldn't have to chase the horses around with a shovel waiting for poop to drop.