Compost Peat Humus?

[mickee311]

I am going to Lowe's today and they have Earth's Finest Compost Peat Humus. I did a search and can't find exactly what this is for. I need to get some nutrients into my soil, I haven't done a soil test yet, but I'm sure that if this is anything like compost you make (although not as awesome, I know) that my dirt, which is untouched by anything but my feet and it's own soil, could probably use it and make my plants happy. Is this something I might need to get? It's on sale for a dollar a bag cheaper than usual, from $2.48 to $1. 48 or something to that effect. Thinking about getting a couple of bags and was wondering what it could do for my babies and if it was worth getting. What is this stuff?

[crazy1]

In the "Ph facts" in the "Soil Building" board, the Pharmer wrote this" Peat moss with a pH of 3.0 is often recommended as a soil additive. Before you use it though, consider the other options, because peat moss is nutrient-poor, expensive, and it's a nonrenewable resource." You may want to look through the post he made in the sub-board there. There are many other ways to help your soil out that wont cost a penny. Thats not to say I haven't used it, but since, I've found better ways to loosen up the soil.

[mickee311]

Yeah, I guess I should have searched for just peat instead of peat humus. Didn't know that was the same thing. I don't really know that there's anything I can do for my soil while I have my stuff growing right now, there isn't a way I can see of improving the soil without disturbing roots. I guess I'll just leave it alone until everything is out and go from there with the variation on lasagna gardening I was going to do. Does this sound good? After last harvest, spread bagged leaves from around the neighborhood on the garden, then layering on cardboard and then a thick layer of topsoil. After last snow, till it all up together. Think that sounds like a good plan? I haven't a compost bin, nor the money for anything like that or the materials to make one myself. I don't drive, so it is increasingly difficult to try and use my local resources, so I have to work with what I have here.

I just wish there was something I could do with the soil now to improve it. Oh well, hopefully my plan above will improve my gardening area. If I need to do something else to it along with all that stuff or something different, let me know. I am a beginner and came up with that idea myself, not sure if it's any good or not. All help is appreciated, I so love to be out in the garden and will do anything I can if possible to help it along.

Thanks in advance! And sorry I ask such stupid questions, just trying to do right by my plants (babies).

[crazy1]

Your question wasn't stupid, we all have to learn. This place is great fer learnin to. One thing you can do is compost tea the plants. Gardens get better with TIME mickee. We all would love to build our soil right up, but thats not possible _{unless you import dirt} but be patient and it will improve as you build a base to start with. The idea for the lasagna garden take off you have sounds like a good idea to me. Keep your head up, you're doin fine as far as I can tell. You ask questions and thats the best way to learn.

[mickee311]

Compost tea would be great....If I had compost....See, I don't have a bin or the funds to buy or make one. My husband won't let me start a pile with nothing around it in the yard. I don't blame him. LOL

[chickenfarmer]

Got a free source in town for shipping pallets..... Ya only need three.... usually some of the stores give em away... Put em together in a "U" shape.... and start from there.....Place where the sun sits....most of the day....

Do you drink coffee....? Start putting the coffee grounds around the plants, they will love it....

Your questions are not that far fetched... we all started out one time... I do believe you have the basic knowledge and determination to keep ya going....

[Deleted]

Mickee if ya got some coffee cans or a bucket with a lid then you can make compost tea!
Save up kitchen scraps an such an start it small till ya can get a bin made!
You can also try this,
In a 5 gallon bucket layer fish and some high carbon stuff like sawdust or straw,
till it is about 3/4 full. also add a little brown sugar or mollasses and some epsom salts.
about 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup epsom salts to the bucket of each. stir for 2 weeks.
if it smells add more sugar. when it is done scoop about 1/2 cup of this into a new bucket
and add about 3 gallons of water. use this for feeding plants especcially at trans plant time.

Its organic an its gooood!!

[lilsparrow]

I know Mickee311 asked the question, but thanks everyone for the great answers!

So cf, are you saying I shouldn't have put my compost pile in the woods? That it needs to be in direct sun??? I didn't realize that!

And I will be trying your mini compost tea recipe there too xdx!!

[crazy1]

Yes DAP the best place for a pile is a sunny spot. But you can put it anywhere you wish as long as it gets a fiar amount of sun.

[lilsparrow]

OK, guess I'll have to move mine 'cuz it doesn't get ANY sun!! Duhhhhhh!

[Songbird]

Yeah, good info!

Sooo, does this bucket of fish, etc. need sunlight too??


...and I have another question... last year I gave my beans a virus by putting fresh compost from my pile around the roots! Duh! Does doing the tea thing guarantee that won't happen??

[mickee311]

Bucket of fish? That sounds disgusting. I don't buy fish normally, tha's funny that I have to do a special grocery list for compost. What kind of fish? Boned? Ugh this just sounds smelly. I don't think my husband would go for that. He is leery of me even getting a composter, for fear of a stench.

[crazy1]

Copmpost souldn't stink. It will have an odor when you turn it but not a real bad smell. As to the fish, I think X ment to catch some. There is also a recipie I use in the "I'm the Compost Guy" reply #42, you can buy some compost for around $3 and it'll last ya a long time only using a bit of it at a time. The rest of the ingrediants listed are also inexpensive and will also last a good long time.When youre dun with the "tea" bag just put the contents in the garden. And start a new batch.

[crazy1]

Song, I've not had a problem with the tea causing any bad effects on our garden, or the flowers. And yes the tea needs sun as well. Thats how it becomes tea, by steeping in the sun.

[digger48]

I dig out many semi loads of peat every year. Use it in raised beds and on flat garden. The peat we dig was a old swamp which has decomposed wetland plants. Works just like a composite pile. Reddish raw peat has the most nutrients. The dark peat has most nutrients taken out. Alkaline peat from the outer edges of a bog makes the skin itch. The peat from the center is alkaline neutral. The peat you buy in a bag has been processed. Kinda like ground up. But if you can get to raw peat that a power line or telephone co has dug up in a ditch it is nutrient rich. You can actually see the plant shape in it. Put some around my first rhubarb plants and they really perked up.

[chickenfarmer]

All wonderful info... Can Fish emulsion bought at the coop do the sme thing as the fish?

[Deleted]

Yessir!!
I mix mine at 1/2 strength so as to not burn the plants.
It a great foliar feed as well as plant food.
Its no replacement for compost but it will suffice till you can buid a pile.

[mickee311]

You guys are awesome. You mean to tell me I can use the bagged compost they have at Lowe's? That would be so great to start me off with. I am so anxious to do this right, so obviously I have a bunch of questions. *sigh* I love my garden.

[crazy1]

You can also mix a bit of the fish emusion into your tea just before you spray/feed the plants.

[Deleted]

Now that my friend is an excellent idea!
SuperSauce !!!

[crazy1]

How do you think the corn got 10' tall.

[Songbird]

Now, fish emulsion I have!
It stinks to high heaven! Gets my cats all interested in what I'm doin', that's fer sure!!

[jack]

Gidday

I don't know where you are or how far from anywhere they grow grain, but if you can get you hands on some small square bales of straw you can grow straigh in the bales above the soil and when it's done you will have compost to dig in. It does work great, but you have to be able to get the bales of staw first, so if you can get some, let's know and I will guide you through how to do it.

.

[Deleted]

Jack I have heard of this method.
Could you start a new thread on how one would go about doing this?
Im sure others besides myself would like to hear about this!
Sounds very interesting!!

[jack]

Gidday

From what I gather, your growing season is just about drawing to an end and just aboiut to start down here.

What I am going to do is try to grow some toematoes by my tank stand this year. It is where the wife had a bit of a garden that the weeds won in so I will go right through the whole process. I think this being an area with fair solid clay and stones it should be a good ecample.

I did post it on another thread when I first come here in "Couldn't resist joining" reply 10, so in the meantime have another look at that.

[crazy1]

Jack, if you're talkin bout the straw bale gowing Go for it and please keep us informed. That really got my intrest up.

[Compost Pharmer]

Mickee, Please don't think your questions are dumb or stupid. Remember that we all started out that way. One of the purposes of this forum is to learn from others. Any question you have, please ask it. Someone will have an answer for you. Think of this forum as a school and everyone is a student and a teacher. If you want a recipe for compost tea, I can send you mine if you will PM or email me your email address. I have alot of information about compost and compost tea. I have sent alot of it to crazy and others. I am one of the many that are 100% organic. I don't believe in synethic chemicals. I have seen what both compost and compost tea will do for the plants. When you fertilize, you are feeding the soil and not the plants. The micro-organisms further break down the compost so the plants can use it as food. I haven't made any compost tea in the last month because I have been gone on business trips.

PS: Peat is just fluff and filler. There is no fertilizer value in it. Don't waste your money on it. If you have a Home Depot or Lowes. close by, they sell compost fairly cheap. The last bag I bought from Home Depot I paid $1.10 for a 40lbs bag.

[digger48]

peat, "a renewable, natural, organic material of botanical origin and commercial significance. Peatlands are situated predominately in shallow wetland areas of the Northern Hemisphere, where large deposits developed from the gradual decomposition of plant matter under anaerobic (low oxygen) conditions.
sounds like a composit pile to me.