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Sawdust & fertilizer

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

"Jennifer W. Gohr" <jgohr@rmci.net> wrote:
We will be doing raised beds 12" deep 4'x10' long and
filling them with compost.  What wood works best?  Is the compost a good
Idea?  We are very eager to get started here in our E. Idaho zone 4 garden
and want any advice we can get.  We've got a blank slate and don't want to
make a lot of expensive mistakes.  Any commments will be greatly appreciated. 
Thanks in advance :)  Jennifer

Sorta off your topic, but with sawdust, usually you don't get the nice stuff. 
the other wants 0.28 (caal it 1/4) cup of, say, 5-10-10 per compressed foot...
or 5 Lbs per cu yd.  Use N or 5, as the main figure if 5 10 10 is not handy. 
The others can/should then be in propotion if possible.  This is termed a
"starter" fertilizer.  The Low N, determining leafy growth, is set aside, to
enhance heath of the plant's foundation and support structure, at the season's
beginnning.

Compost is wonderful.
Test your soil if you have an Ag agent, or I don't, so I use a kit.
I like hay, as a compost or a walkway.  It is 2-3% N, slow release, and that
ain't bad neither! :>)

Then I go for $1 / 1 cu ft bag of cheap, weak, Earth-Gro manure compost ("High
Quality Bio-Solids," yes I know what it is and it is tested by law.)  Add to
sand, to 12", add 4".  Add to 9", 3, for a 12" max.

Mix 1/2 of it in to 12 depth, The rest to the top 4-6".  This means on a 4x10,
each linear foot (1x4 section) needs a bag.  $10.  If this is poor sand, you
may want more.  Any organic is good.  Some peat is good, too much causes
acidity.  Some paper on the bottom even.  1/2 inch.

Wood, and treatment (not "pre-treated!!!) like$20 a gal 2 part clear Marine
Resin, (fiberglasss w/o the fiber, 30 min to apply a mix) is my pref, but
archives is full a this a month back.
Bill

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