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Planting veggies around a pile of chicken bedding: E.coli concern
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Posted by
nick_b79 4/5 Southeast MN (
My Page) on
Tue, Jun 5, 12 at 16:29
| Hello, I have a question regarding some compost I'm making.
Last year we butchered our flock of chickens (they were getting old and egg production had fallen way off). Last fall, I emptied the coop of all it's straw bedding into the fenced-in chicken run to let it decompose there. I haven't turned it or anything, just letting it rot down naturally. I was thinking of planting potatoes into the rotted straw, but thought there might be bacterial concerns from the chicken manure since it hasn't rotted a full year. Also, I was thinking of planting tomatoes and pole beans around the outside of the run since I could use the fencing as support for the climbing vines. Would there be bacterial issues with the roots being so close to the partially rotten bedding?
I just want to make sure I'm not exposing my family to contaminated food. If it is a potential problem, I can just plant the tomatoes and beans in 5-gal. pails instead of into the ground there. If it is dangerous, what else could I plant into the rotted straw to at least capture the nitrogen and speed up decomposition as a green manure?
Thanks! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Planting veggies around a pile of chicken bedding: E.coli con
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| They say that 90 days before harvest is the minimum time for manures. Based on that I'd say you'll be fine. |
RE: Planting veggies around a pile of chicken bedding: E.coli con
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- Posted by corrine1 7b Pacific Northwest (My Page) on
Sat, Jun 9, 12 at 11:50
| Go ahead & plant what you'd like. We've used our poultry bedding as sheet mulch for years applied after summer crops are out through March or so before replanting summer vegetables. Squash really likes those conditions left by the manure and straw. Potatoes do well when you have material to hill up a bit, so if you have something else to add those would be the easiest. It just depends on what you want to grow. |
RE: Planting veggies around a pile of chicken bedding: E.coli con
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| I always put my chicken bedding directly on the beds, too. I doubt plants can take bacteria in and transport it to the fruits. You will wash all of your produce anyway, so I wouldn't worry. |
RE: Planting veggies around a pile of chicken bedding: E.coli con
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Your concern is not can plants uptake the disease pathogens and transport them to the fruits, but that there is a real potential that disease pathogens can attach to the outsides of the fruits and if not washed properly be there to be ingested by whomever eats that fruit. If the USDA, National Institute for Health, and Center For Disease Control are correct in their assessment then if the manure was put down 90 days before harvesting of crops grown above ground, and 120 days before root crops such as potatoes should be okay.
Disease pathogens get onto the edible part of the plant, not inside. |
RE: Planting veggies around a pile of chicken bedding: E.coli con
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If you have a "concern" then you shouldn't do it. Simple as that. just plant the tomatoes and beans in 5-gal. pails instead of into the ground No more needs to be said. |
RE: Planting veggies around a pile of chicken bedding: E.coli con
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| Not to split hairs, but Nick didn't say he had a concern, he had a question. I think it was answered pretty well (not taking credit myself - kimmsr was the one I learned the 90/120 days thing from in the first place). I get what you're saying though - I think: regardless of 'recommendations', if something makes one uncomfortable, by all means skip it. I am always in favor of gathering facts before I do whatever I want. :-] |
RE: Planting veggies around a pile of chicken bedding: E.coli con
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| albert.If everyone who had a concern did not do what they were concerned about we would be ruled by NAZIS for one and everyone would be a bunch of scared nancies!! I mean think about it, if everyone just stopped doing things based on a "concern" what kind of world would we be living in? We would still be eating termites with sticks and scratching our bare asses with a sedimentary rock! Serious Albert dont you think Albert Eisenstein had concerns? What if he just stopped what he was doing based on a concern? Lol OP go with the advice of washing the fruit and veggies and following a time table of at least 90 days. |
RE: Planting veggies around a pile of chicken bedding: E.coli con
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We are hearing, more and more, of food recalls due to these disease pathogens, E-Coli, Listeria, Salmonella, being found on foods and about people getting sick from ingesting them. People should be concerned about them, but knowledge is power and knowing that 1. these disease pathogens are there, and 2. they can make you very sick is part of being able to avoid contact.
So where do these disease pathogens come from? Mostly animal manures, which does not mean we should not use animal manures in our gardens. Knowing how to keep the foods we eat from getting any of these pathogens is one way to keep us from coming down with one or another. Knowing that the foods we eat might be contaminated (even those you purchase at a grocers) and need to be properly washed before eating can help keep your exposure low.
scientia potentia est |
RE: Planting veggies around a pile of chicken bedding: E.coli con
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| Blaze, are you familiar with Godwin's Law of the Internet? LOL |
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