Sounds like you have a great source of "Green" for your compost. Now you need some "Brown". Not sure where saw dust lies in the compost hierarchy but I it is not a beneficial as say a nice pile of leaves.

Here is my suggestion, since it has been two or three months it is probably fine to til into a garden plot you are going to use this year, I would not just put it on top.

However, if time is not an issue. Try tiling it into a garden plot you are going to use in the fall or next spring.

Long term, find a source of brown material and as you get more poo, mix it with the brown from the start. Water ever once in a while and you will have great compost in 4-6 months.

Where are you located? That will determine a lot.

Sawdust is a mighty brown. If you want to compost stuff first- mix that sawdust and the poop together with some water.

If you have a month before planting- I'd just spread the poop on the planting bed, put sawdust on top, and let it get rained on. Should be rocking. You could plow it in if you'll be plowing anyway. Save sawdust for mulch.

I live in the norther part of Indiana. Last year i tried planting pumpkis with no fertilizer and i got a bunch of small ones with one that was about 150lbs so I intend to make that bigger.

About useing the sawdust as a mulch does that meen to spread it on top or mix it in with the chicken poop? will spreading the sawdust cause the undersides of the pumpkins to rot?

Also will chicken poop be good for any typ of vegie or not all?

Will the straw rot befor I got to plant?

all of it will add organic material to the soil, which is a good thing - doesn't really matter how long it takes to 'rot' because you want to keep adding organics constantly for the life of your garden - the pumpkins will benefit most from heavy additions of compost, as long as the manure isn't too fresh, therefore too high in nitrogen - the trick to big pumpkins is lots of compost and lots of water, never let them get dry - we put constant drip watering on pumpkins and {{gwi:138225}} - a layer of sawdust for mulch won't hurt the pumpkins and will help keep the weeds down

tomatoes and peppers don't need quite as much nitrogen as pumpkins, so I'd go easy on the manure, which will do best where you want a lot of fast foliage growth

Bill

Thanks for the sugestions. i think ill plow the manure into the soil. and then would it be smart to lay down newspaper and put sawdust on to of it to keep the weeds down?

How does everyone plant their pumpkins, last year i planted mine in little hills so i would no were the were but would planting them in shalow trenches work better or would that drown the plants? Any sugestions?

Also i was wondering because last year I got 1 pumpkin on a giant vine. I also planted them and harvested the pumpkins about a month befor halloween. should I cut of the vines without a pumpkin on it?

Please compost your sawdust for at least a year before you add it to your garden beds. It is very hard to break down and robs the soil of all nitrogen in the process. If you mix it well with the chicken manure, keep it moist and turn it every couple of days or once a week it should be well enough composted in about a year to use on the garden.

You can make a pile of all of this stuff and keep it together adding other stuff like kitchen waste, grass and leaves as they become available. If you have a problem with critters getting into it, you can cover it with a tarp, but usually they don't do any damage. Also, and don't be grossed out, human urine isn't bad for the compost and is another source of nitrogen or "greens." Plus it has the added bonus of repelling some critters that will mess up the pile or dig in it.
Cheryl

Hey Zackd,
I'm in the southeastern part of IN. I just add my chicken manure mixed with sawdust into my compost pile which contains kitchen and garden wastes and spoiled straw. I turn the piles every 2 months - not so in the winter - but when I can. I have used this compost within 4 months time without harming the plants. For pumpkins and other cucurbits, fruit trees and tomato transplants, I just dig a hole in a hill and fill it with a shovel full of compost. Works for me!

Down south MS where I from, everyone plows chicken manure fresh from the chicken houses into their garden before planting, and strawberries are particularly fond of fresh chicken manure.

Have fun gardening!
Lisa

I am in need of advice. I have a vegetable garden. I am trying to build up the compost pile for next season. In my neighborhood, there are two stores that sell live poultry. They are willing to donate their extensive chicken manure, but the manure is on newspapers that are under the chicken pens.

The question: can I compost the newspaper along with the chicken manure?