As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Newbie Joe

"Rusty Richards" wrote in message
...
As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Newbie Joe


For some plants such as Roses, the saw dust will rob nutrients from the soil
as it begins to break down. Other than that it should not hurt.
That said, IIRC you want to mix Lime into the clay/Gumbo to break it down.

Rusty Richards wrote:

As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Yes and no...oak is very rich in tannic acid which isn't conducive to
most veggies, etc.

At least compost it before adding it to the garden and a heavy dose of
lime to neutralize pH will help. The clay will benefit from added
humus, but you need to test the soil for needed nutrients and acidity
before just dumping stuff in if you want to really improve the soil for
growing stuff, that is. The rhod'ys and azaelas will like it,
though...they need acidic soils.

Mix saw dust with 75% grass cuttings in a co,post bin for a year. Or tumble
into a compost tumbler.

"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message
...
Rusty Richards wrote:

As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Yes and no...oak is very rich in tannic acid which isn't conducive to
most veggies, etc.

At least compost it before adding it to the garden and a heavy dose of
lime to neutralize pH will help. The clay will benefit from added
humus, but you need to test the soil for needed nutrients and acidity
before just dumping stuff in if you want to really improve the soil for
growing stuff, that is. The rhod'ys and azaelas will like it,
though...they need acidic soils.

On top as a mulch it's fine, don't rototill/dig in fresh sawdust into the
soil. If used in the soil it must be composted first. if you dig in fresh
it will rob nitrogen.

--

Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


"Rusty Richards" wrote in message
...
As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Newbie Joe

Rumpty wrote:
On top as a mulch it's fine, don't rototill/dig in fresh sawdust into the
soil. If used in the soil it must be composted first. if you dig in fresh
it will rob nitrogen.

or be lazy and add a little fertilizer.



--

Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


"Rusty Richards" wrote in message
...

As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Newbie Joe





--
Will
Occasional Techno-geek

It takes about a year for the saw dust in the soil to start breaking down
enough to release nitrogen. I started composting my saw dust about 15 years
ago. I added nitrogen for a year or so and then stopped. My soil is rich and
black.
max

On top as a mulch it's fine, don't rototill/dig in fresh sawdust into the
soil. If used in the soil it must be composted first. if you dig in fresh
it will rob nitrogen.

--

Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


"Rusty Richards" wrote in message
...
As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Newbie Joe

Rumpty wrote:

On top as a mulch it's fine, don't rototill/dig in fresh sawdust into the
soil. If used in the soil it must be composted first. if you dig in fresh
it will rob nitrogen.

Also note the caveat on oak in particular as high tannic acid
content...walnut is to be avoided entirely.

What about Pine and Cherry dust?


"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message
...
Rumpty wrote:

On top as a mulch it's fine, don't rototill/dig in fresh sawdust into
the
soil. If used in the soil it must be composted first. if you dig in
fresh
it will rob nitrogen.

Also note the caveat on oak in particular as high tannic acid
content...walnut is to be avoided entirely.

On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 08:49:29 -0700, (Rusty
Richards) wrote:

As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Newbie Joe

Fresh sawdust placed in the garden will deplete the soil of
nitrogen--don't do this. Instead, create a heap of 50/50 sawdust and
grass clippings and turn it every couple months. The initial heap
should be at least 3x3x3 foot for composting to work well. After 3-6
months, it will be composted and can use used in your garden. If you
don't use grass clippings (or green clippings), the sawdust will take
much longer to compost. Adding compost to clay soil will greatly
improve it.

On Sun, 06 Mar 2005 20:45:09 +0000, Phisherman wrote:

On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 08:49:29 -0700, (Rusty
Richards) wrote:

As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Newbie Joe

Fresh sawdust placed in the garden will deplete the soil of
nitrogen--don't do this. Instead, create a heap of 50/50 sawdust and
grass clippings and turn it every couple months. The initial heap
should be at least 3x3x3 foot for composting to work well. After 3-6
months, it will be composted and can use used in your garden. If you
don't use grass clippings (or green clippings), the sawdust will take
much longer to compost. Adding compost to clay soil will greatly
improve it.

Peeing in it will also add nitrogen.

--
Luigi
Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/humour.html
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/antifaq.html

It was somewhere outside Barstow when Phisherman
wrote:

The initial heap
should be at least 3x3x3 foot for composting to work well.

And don't forget to **** on it.

Easiest way is to have a barbecue and invite all the guests to do
likewise. Maybe this works better for pagans?

Duane Bozarth wrote in
:

Also note the caveat on oak in particular as high tannic acid
content...walnut is to be avoided entirely.

Unless you WANT to keep the weeds down in certain areas...

Patriarch

Andy Dingley wrote in
:

It was somewhere outside Barstow when Phisherman
wrote:

The initial heap
should be at least 3x3x3 foot for composting to work well.

And don't forget to **** on it.

Easiest way is to have a barbecue and invite all the guests to do
likewise. Maybe this works better for pagans?



Some of us gather our nitrogen from organic sources (horse stables), adding
to the aroma. Mulched under black plastic for a month or so, the weeds are
pretty much history.

Or the OP can wimp out, and throw it in the greens bin, and let the
municipality deal with it. Not everyone wants responibility through the
whole carbon cycle, anyway.

Does taking a leak on the compost pile preclude Christianity? It's never
been mentioned in my doctrinal studies...

Patriarch

"Rusty Richards" wrote

As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

For a fairly full summary of the use of wood waste as compost, Rusty might
like to look at my web site - Hints & Tips - Uses of Sawdust & Shavings.

Jeff G

--
Jeff Gorman, West Yorkshire, UK
email : Username is amgron
ISP is clara.co.uk
www.amgron.clara.net

It was somewhere outside Barstow when Patriarch
wrote:

Does taking a leak on the compost pile preclude Christianity? It's never
been mentioned in my doctrinal studies...

I've no idea (I shall try to find out on Wednesday when I ask someone
knowledgeable about the Somerset settlements).

In modern times though, barbecues full of pagans seem amenable to the
idea of communal ****ing on the compost, but I can't imagine the
vicar's tea party going for it.

On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 00:40:01 -0600, the inscrutable Patriarch
spake:

Andy Dingley wrote in
:

It was somewhere outside Barstow when Phisherman
wrote:

The initial heap
should be at least 3x3x3 foot for composting to work well.

And don't forget to **** on it.

Easiest way is to have a barbecue and invite all the guests to do
likewise. Maybe this works better for pagans?

Indubitably, my dear Dingles.


Some of us gather our nitrogen from organic sources (horse stables), adding
to the aroma. Mulched under black plastic for a month or so, the weeds are
pretty much history.

Or the OP can wimp out, and throw it in the greens bin, and let the
municipality deal with it. Not everyone wants responibility through the
whole carbon cycle, anyway.

I take the easy way out. I burn my leaves (two piles a year) and pick
up a full truck bed (cubic yard) load of JoGrow (community compost)
from them once a year for $9. I'm going to the fully organic stuff
from the other place this year at a premium: $20 a load.


Does taking a leak on the compost pile preclude Christianity? It's never
been mentioned in my doctrinal studies...

I think it's the essence of it. Every time I think of those preachy
religious folks...


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Walnut is toxic. It is not good for the micro organisms in the soil, for the
worms, for horses, for anything. I agree, don't use walnut or redwood.
Redwood has a chemical in it that retards growth for stuff that is not
redwood.
max

Duane Bozarth wrote in
:

Also note the caveat on oak in particular as high tannic acid
content...walnut is to be avoided entirely.

Unless you WANT to keep the weeds down in certain areas...

Patriarch

I hear that walnut is toxic all the time. Yet, my parents had 70-foot
walnut trees in the backyard and grew all sorts of flowers and
vegetables under them. However, the trees are messy and the fruit
stained the concrete patio. I heard that walnut sawdust should not be
used in horse stables.

On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 14:55:55 GMT, max wrote:

Walnut is toxic. It is not good for the micro organisms in the soil, for the
worms, for horses, for anything. I agree, don't use walnut or redwood.
Redwood has a chemical in it that retards growth for stuff that is not
redwood.
max

Duane Bozarth wrote in
:

Also note the caveat on oak in particular as high tannic acid
content...walnut is to be avoided entirely.

Unless you WANT to keep the weeds down in certain areas...

Patriarch

Phisherman wrote in
:

I hear that walnut is toxic all the time. Yet, my parents had 70-foot
walnut trees in the backyard and grew all sorts of flowers and
vegetables under them. However, the trees are messy and the fruit
stained the concrete patio. I heard that walnut sawdust should not be
used in horse stables.

On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 14:55:55 GMT, max wrote:

Walnut is toxic. It is not good for the micro organisms in the soil,
for the worms, for horses, for anything. I agree, don't use walnut or
redwood. Redwood has a chemical in it that retards growth for stuff
that is not redwood.
max


And redwood bark is used for mulch in California all of the time as well.

I was just saying that there are some places where the plant/sawdust
characterisitcs are desireable. It breaks down over time.

And because I like to use walnut for furniture projects, it's nice to have
somewhere to use the chips & sawdust. Like paths & such.

Patriarch

Gee, we put wood chip down just to STOP things from growing. My wife,
the gartener, said that woodchip depletes the soil of nitrogen as it
decomposes and retards seeds from germinating.


Rusty Richards wrote:
As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know
what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around
here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Newbie Joe

Phisherman wrote:

I hear that walnut is toxic all the time. Yet, my parents had 70-foot
walnut trees in the backyard and grew all sorts of flowers and
vegetables under them. However, the trees are messy and the fruit
stained the concrete patio. I heard that walnut sawdust should not be
used in horse stables.
....

It depends on what, in particular and also on particular soil pH, etc.
as to the extent of the effect. Foilage on bulbs, in particular, are
likely to show signs...it's not so strong and effect as to be deadly to
virtually any plant, but in general, a comparative specie outside the
influence of the walnut will typically show better development than one
within that influence. I'd not use it in veggie gardens simply as a
precaution against poor germination, etc., not that I'd be concerned w/
human toxicity, etc. I also made the recommendation in context of the
OP in this thread asking about using fresh sawdust directly...

"Jerry" wrote in message
ups.com...
Gee, we put wood chip down just to STOP things from growing. My wife,
the gartener, said that woodchip depletes the soil of nitrogen as it
decomposes and retards seeds from germinating.


Rusty Richards wrote:
As a newbie, I will be sanding a lot of red oak and wanted to know
what
will happen if I put the saw dust in the garden? The soil around
here
is mostly clay. Is this what it needs?

Newbie Joe


Have the gardener think of how she tries to limit foliage growth from
excessive nitrogen in some plants. Those are the ones to mulch with wood
waste. Save the nasty acid stuff like oak for the compost heap, or to keep
foliage down under your electric fences.