Re: [compost_tea] Mixed

From: Jason Austin <jason.austin_at_shaw.ca>
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2003 11:53:58 -0700

Hi Bill

Bob replied to your first question. I was curious about an answer to
your second one so I did a google search on rhubarb compost, which
produced a number of hits. One was this:

"Many folks have been concerned about adding rhubarb leaves to their
compost piles. If the leaves are posionous, they must be bad for
compost as well, since rhubarb stalks contain a high concentration of
oxalic acid which slightly toxic. What actually occurs when rhubarb is
added to a compost pile is that the oxalic acid is decomposed and pH
balanced rather quickly. People do not eat compost piles as a rule
anyway, and even if a child were to eat compost dirt, there would be
problems other than residuals from the decomposing rhubarb stalks.
Experience has also shown that the level of acid does not inhibit the
microbial action of composting. Compost piles which were nearly all
rhubarb leaves and stalks have decomposed very nicely and the
compost has behaved like ordinary compost and no inhibition of plant
growth was noticed from the compost."

Ragwort seemed a different story, and there were recommendations not to
compost tansy ragwort, and strong recommendations to use gloves when
handling it.

It seems then you need to do a plant by plant search on whether to
compost that plant or not.

On your third question, you can expect to get lots of good replies - I
believe the answer is a resounding Yes!

Jason


Halstead wrote:

> Re. terminology. Re. Peach leaf curl I said the lesions d--. Informed
> that word should not be used.Now this is what as a practicle person I
> observed.No trails!Can I use the term Cured /CT is curative?
>
> Can plants poisonous to man /animals etc be put in compost heaps?.ie
> Ragwort. Fox Glove, Rhubarb leaves, etc.
>
> I mulch with straw around my trees and soft fruit and so a fair
> portion of the CT spray falls on this mulch. Are the B/F. in the CT
> going to 'work' on the mulch?
>
> Bill H.






Received on Sat Jun 21 2003 - 17:51:33 EDT

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