Compost from municipal sites

Wonder if anyone has used compost from their city's or county's sites? 

Here in Central FL,  most of the counties have impressive composting sites so
that anyone can have all they need for the taking. After speaking to Dr.
Ferrer this PM at the county Ag office, he advised me which county had the
best compost management practices, and urged me to take advantage of this
freebie.

I plan on doing this, and would appreciate anyone's experience with using
municipal compost.

I also spoke to a local Master Gardener, who grows Calabasas, a pumpkin/hard
squash developed to grow in tropical and sub tropical or Equatorial climates.
He has been a wealth of info. The largest fruit he has grown has been 35-40
lb. He is very interested in my growing project and is excited that I am
growing Atlantic Giants locally. 

BTW, Dr. Ferrer, of the University of Florida believes that AG's should grow
fine here this Spring, and gave me some tips to control fungus and mildew, the
two biggest problems in this climate.

Also, I have located a good source for horse manure (no sawdust), and will be
tilling some of that in within a week or two. Also got a gift of 100 large
peat pellets from the master gardener, who got them from a nursery going out
of business.

Dr. Ferrer suggested I not plant into the ground until after the last full
moon in Feb. to avoid cold snaps. So, with that new target date, I am happy to
report that I am gearing up to start the season. I should have germinated
seeds in about 4-6 weeks. YES!

So, for any new grower looking for direction, try your local agricultural
cooperative extension office. They can be a wealth of info! Who knows?  You
just might run into a master gardener with a few pumpkin growing years under
his/her belt!

A note to all of you in the colder climates....stay safe and warm! I watched
Portland  KOIN TV on satellite this PM and was floored at the driving snow and
icy conditions. Additionally,  to our fellow growers in upstate NY, VT , NH,
Maine and Canada, hang in there. We are watching in amazement at the sudden
changes in your lifestyles as well! Keep safe!

Barb


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