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Sun, Jun 26, 11 at 21:52
| My friend's late husband was a gardening enthusiast. He died a decade ago and his rotating compost barrel hasn't been touched since. I took a look in it today and took two pics. The smell was interesting, like aged sweet pipe tobacco. I wonder what uses the compost might have at this point if any.
Here is a picture:
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Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by plant_it_organic (My Page) on Mon, Jun 27, 11 at 5:51
| I'm sure it's full of micro organisms! You should try to do a batch of compost tea with it! |
Here is a link that might be useful: my page
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| You don't want that stuff, nuh uh. Best plan is to allow me to come remove it safely. I know how to properly "dispose" of it. ;-) |
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| Thanks for the warning, Jon. :) So it is still usable without fear of some strange alien organism taking over the earth? |
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| I'm no expert (this is the internet, after all), but I'd say as long as it doesn't smell "off"... like sour or rotten, etc. then spread and enjoy. That's what I'd do if it was mine. :-) |
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| Okay. Now I have to see if I can snag some. Thanks! |
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| If that compost is a decade old then it is dead because if there were active microorganisms in it they would have totally digested it long ago. |
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| Interesting. What happens when compost dies, and what would you call it? Is it infertile soil? Should I smoke it? :) |
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| If compost has the bacteria in it that it is supposed to they would continue to digest it until it was gone, same as happens in soil with any organic matter. That this compost is still here after 10 years tells me the bacteria are not active, alive, functioning and the compost is dead, not necessarily worthless and maybe salvagable if dampened and added to soil, maybe. |
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| Pfft... it's organic material. "Dead" OM is better than no OM. |
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| sounds like it would make good potting soil. |
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| Or dormant, get some wet with compost tea and watch. |
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| I'll suggest that to her. Thanks. |
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- Posted by tweetson1998 Z9 SW La (My Page) on Sat, Sep 10, 11 at 21:41
| DON'T THROW IT OUT! There should still be some minerals left in it that would be beneficial to the soil when used. Just recompost it. Add all of it to a new batch of organic material that you are going to compost normally and it will take care of itself. There is stuff in it that has broke down so much that it will be easy for plants and microbes to use. Or mix it into the soil as it is and let it sit for a season and then treat it normally. |
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| in honor and memory of the deceased and avid gardener... it should be used in a garden growing his favorite crop/plants. and maybe send a sample of it off as a "soil sample"... just for grins. |
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| There is some misinformation here. Microorganisms don't die when they finish digesting the food. They go dormant. That compost is full of dormant microorganisms. |
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- Posted by toxcrusadr (My Page) on Mon, Sep 12, 11 at 11:18
| Yeah, and when they run out of stuff to digest, the stuff that is left is a very advance form of humus, which is super duper organic matter to add to soil or potting mix! Just like the stuff on the forest floor that has been decomposing for decades... |
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- Posted by gardengolfer GA (My Page) on Tue, Sep 13, 11 at 7:27
| At some point all organic matter is called humus when it becomes stable. |
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