composting grass clippings and sawdust

[Will/Andrea]

I'm no expert by any means but ran into the same problem with my first pile
- now I add branches and sticks as I'm building the pile. This leaves me
space to stick the fork in and when I turn it, I turn the wood also. Hope
this helps.
Andrea

Phisherman <nosp...@poboxes.com> wrote in article
<37be1845...@netnews.worldnet.att.net>...
> I have an endless supply of sawdust (I'm a woodworker). I tried
> mixing equal parts grass clippings and sawdust (pine, oak, cherry,
> maple, ash, etc) with a shovelful of dirt. It was a pile about 5
> feet high. This pile stunk, but worse, it matted together in layers.
> I thought I did a good job of mixing using a garden fork, initially.
> Yet, after two weeks it became too "tight" to mix. What could I have
> done wrong? After 6 weeks the pile shrunk to half size.
>

[Larry Newton]

I would also increase the mixture of sawdust and dirt to the grass. You've
experienced the problem with grass composting - matting. It works much
better if you decrease the proportion of grass to the rest (1:2 or even 1:3
grass to "browns"). Also, sawdust is not necessarily the best "brown"
because the carbon in the wood is not readily available for quick
composting. The grass rapidly decomposes, but wood (and sawdust) does not.

Will/Andrea <aemi...@iserv.net> wrote in message
news:01beea57$9f21cf40$273672ce@default...

[Bill Darnell]

I am not an expert on compost either. We may be letting the purveyors on TV
and books cloud us a little, though. I am also a woodworker. I am not
saying compost ain't what it is put up to be, but I am not so sure it is
worth the work because there are easier ways. I go the green manure route,
and use the leaves, grass, sawdust, etc., for mulching around plants to help
hold down the grass and weeds, but best of all, to keep the moisture in.
Then when I am through with the row, till or fork the stuff under and be
pleasantly how soon it turns to beautiful humus.
Bill

> I would also increase the mixture of sawdust and dirt to the grass.
You've
> experienced the problem with grass composting - matting. It works much
> better if you decrease the proportion of grass to the rest (1:2 or even
1:3
> grass to "browns"). Also, sawdust is not necessarily the best "brown"
> because the carbon in the wood is not readily available for quick
> composting. The grass rapidly decomposes, but wood (and sawdust) does
not.
>
> Will/Andrea <aemi...@iserv.net> wrote in message

[C. A. Owens]

Phisherman wrote:
>
> I have an endless supply of sawdust (I'm a woodworker). I tried
> mixing equal parts grass clippings and sawdust (pine, oak, cherry,
> maple, ash, etc) with a shovelful of dirt. It was a pile about 5
> feet high. This pile stunk, but worse, it matted together in layers.
> I thought I did a good job of mixing using a garden fork, initially.
> Yet, after two weeks it became too "tight" to mix. What could I have
> done wrong? After 6 weeks the pile shrunk to half size.

You need to mix more; the two need to be fully incorporated from the
start. The pile will shrink as compaction occurs.

Chris Owens

[Gandy Dancer]

I experimented last year with a grass-only compost bin. I found that it did
emit a powerful odor, but worse, it became a breeding place for flies. I
solved the latter problem by throwing some lime on the grass clippings each
time I replenished it, but also experienced the clumping problem.
Ultimately I used the resulting compost, but this year I'm mixing the grass
clippings with all my other yard/garden debris, and it's working a lot
better. No smell, no flies. Also, I've started using grass clippings as
mulch in certain areas where I don't want weeds and/or want to retain
moisture. Works well and doesn't look bad, either.

Gandy

[Susan Wehe]

Hi Bill,
What you're doing is commonly called sheet composting and is a great
way to really improve soil and keep weeds under control. There's more
than one way to compost and what you're doing is one of the best (IMHO)
as so much is lost to leaching in a pile and nothing is lost in sheet
composting as it goes right into the ground near the plants.
I'd say your awareness of your garden and your soil makes you as much
an expert as anybody :)

susan

[Noel Jackson]

Hi Bill,
You wrote:

> > Then when I am through with the row, till or fork the stuff under and be
> > pleasantly how soon it turns to beautiful humus.
> > Bill

I'm on the Organic Mailing List and the general opinion is that even
tilling the mulch under is not necessary as within a short time the
living organisms in the soil will take the mulch down into the soil
and improve the soil structure at the same time.

Regards,
Noel.
Noel & Paula Jackson
Organic Growers of Strawberries & Other Produce at
NATURE'S ACRES,
Taradale Rd., Dannevirke, New Zealand.
WebPage:http://welcome.to/natures.acres; or: http://members.xoom.com/NoelJackson