Composting stuff

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

I would compost any and all poop for four months before putting in a bed for growing food, personally.
 
Chicken manure is naturally  high in lime so it would make the oak leaves do fine, but...
 
Decomposition will also reduce acidity if it is aerobic, and organic matter will buffer any pH changes so that once your soil is rich in organic matter, and well nourished, you can pretty much ignore pH.
 
Regarding lawn clippings and lawn care chemicals, the studies I have seen indicate that 17 weeks of composting will break down all the chemicals now legally allowed for lawn care. The one chemical that is now illegal but still persistent is chlordane, which survives hot composting all too well, and was found as a contaminant in 12 out of 12 New Jersey yard wast composts tested (Biocycle, August 1998).
 
The problem is that *you* are exposed to these chemicals during those 17 weeks every time you manipulate the compost. From bringing in the materials, turning them, aerating the pile, etc, you get a snootful of them. So, gloves, cartridge respirators, etc, might be advisable....or see if the boys and girls of the mowing operations can tap only the nontreated lawns for clippings, or at least only collect them for you two weeks or more after the initial application of evil chemicals.
 
And yes, I know the industry and government say "It's safe!"---but then, I grew up when Richard Nixon was bombing Asians and saying, "I am not a crook!"----and somehow plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose, as the French say--"The more things change, the more they stay the same."
 
You can use straw in a lasagna bed, or as part of a compost on mulch method....just be sure the bed is kept moist, and the compost is good quality. Heck, you can even use shredded newspaper, for that matter.
 
Frank Teuton
-----Original Message-----
From: Teri Epp <k*@cwnet.com>
To: Square Foot Gardening List <s*@listbot.com>
Date: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 9:43 PM
Subject: Re: Compost screens compared: Cantopper vs A-frame

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Thanks Frank! Boy are you right about using safety glass and handkerchief while weedeating the Oak leaves- Thanks to the person who posted the info on those too- Now again- Since the leaves are so acidic- WHAT should I use to counter act that if anything(lime?) I picked up loads of dried chicken poop mixed with straw and the corncobs-type bedding from the guinea pig /chicken farm around the corner. Also some fresh horse poop. Know I have to compost the horse poop- but would the dried chicken poop mix be ok to work into the beds now and how long til I can plant? Afraid I am  out of control here chasing landscape people around the neighborhood begging for their lawn clipping and leaves! Would straw be good to add to the lasagna beds or is it too hard to break down and should  I just use it for paths and in the compost bins?  Thanks!_teri
 
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