Hmmm, I'll have to fence the area to keep my dogs off it, but I think I'll try it. Why not, right ?!

I didn't take the time to do the math, but how cheap is this?
I'm always looking for cheap!
I can buy a cubic yard of compost today for $29.00.
Of course I have to transport it and mix it into my beds.
Not a problem.
Would I get better benefit? Or better price?
I need to be thinking about how to beef up my fall veggie garden about now.
Thanks for the info.

In the late winter, when I want to fertilize my plants, I go to the local feed store to get soybean meal and alfalfa pellets. As I'm leaving, I ask if they have any spoiled grains they will throw away- ones that got moisture in them, that mice put holes in the package. Usually they give me a large bag or two for free (actually, this year I had to pay $1 per bag). It's different every time. Could be dog food, fish food, grains, etc. I check for salt content (some have salt and would not be good for plants). Then I use it as fertilizer wherever I want, or if it is extra I put it in my compost. One word of warning. All these natural grains stink terribly as they decompose (for about 5-7 days after they get wet and get the full, blazing sun). Spreading them sparsely, covering with cardboard or grass clippings, mulch, etc. is a good idea. They are all great fertilizer, and there is no harm from them to our environment. They also feed our soil, not just our plants. They attract beneficial organisms and microbes to our soil. Therefore, the results are longer lasting. It's not permanent, tho, so it should be done regularly. I love this approach, but try to get as much free stuff as possible. Especially stuff that will just go to the landfill if no one uses it. Good stuff. As we speak, I saw my neighbor put out 3 bags of grass clippings yesterday. I will help her get rid of it today! Great stuff for free.

i gotta say that these recipes never make sense to me. why go through the stench, pests, waste and time? the dog food can't have much nitrogen and probably loads of junk that's NOT good for your garden (dyes, preservatives). There are far better ways of getting potassium (green sand and plain old oak ashes, for instance, if you're doing the organic thing). alfalfa pellets are great, but the other junk is just that -- junk.

While I would imagine none of these things are harmful, I sort of agree with Ill-Mannered. My yard has so many ants, squirrels and other little beasties, I don't think I want to put down stuff that is edible all over the place. And dogfood ain't cheap!

I haven't done the math, but I'm not sure you would really be saving a lot of money. I won't say it isn't a good idea, because I haven't researched it, but I have doubts. I'll wait until someone I know actually TRIES this and does a cost and effectiveness comparison, I think.

And, it wouldn't last long enough to do any good in my yard. If the squirrels and ants didn't get it, my dogs would. They eat every single grain of BIRDSEED they can find, so I KNOW they would eat the dogfood.

Color Me Intrigued But Still Skeptical,
Marcia

Maybe missing in the recipe is that the DOG should eat the food first? Thats how I use it.

Just sounds like someone's gimmick to sell a book or something.

I have no doubt that dog food could act as a fertilizer and I use lots of odd stuff as "fertilizer" in the yard. I have thrown dry cat food in the yard if it has gotten moldy or bad, but I throw such things in out of sight areas. I figure if the animals eat it fine, if it decomposes fine.

But to suggest it is more economical than just buying a bag of fertilizer with the controlled amounts of nutrients you want is kinda absurd. I know I pay $10-$15 for large cat food bags and dog food runs about the same. Large clay litter is going to run $4-$5 and I have no idea what alfalfa pellets cost.

On the other hand, I use pine litter in my litter boxes and when it's time to do a complete cleaning of the boxes, I dump the pine litter in the garden and then cover it with some mulch. I think there are lots of ways to enrich your soil with things out of the house, but not by purposely buying dog food and such for doing so.

Quite honestly, I don't plan on trying out this formula. No doubt it will attract alot of wildlife and probably with the stench, alot of flies. And then anoles, then snakes, then....?
Thought I'd post the recipe just the same. There are so many diverse areas in this amazing state that I thought it may be of interest to someone out there.
Whenever I fertilize, I generally concentrate on a single plant and it's specific needs. I'm always pleased with Black Cow, even though the smell is a bit offensive the 1st day or so.
Sue.

Would alfalfa pellets also stink? Does Back Cow feritlizer stink?

I have a large planter in my lanai that needs fertilizer, mulch etc. It's just a sandpit right now, covered in weed cloth. But I don't want to smell up the entire area to the point where everybody gags. This is my August project when I return to steamy Florida.

Alfalfa meal and cottonseed meal are great organic additions to the soil. I wish I had a feed store close by (20 miles away).

I'm still burying my kitchen waste in various parts of the garden and trying to keep the squirrels from noticing. I don't think I want to encourage them with dog food pellets :-)

I'm also going to look at the beach for some seaweed to add (bury it of course). There are so many free things you can add to your garden, just open your eyes and mind.

Check with your county about free mulch too. (That turns into compost).

If anyone thinks there is little nitrogen in dog food, put a cup or two in your compost bin, moisten, give the bin a few twirls and stand back! By the next day there will be steam! That goes for any grain. Great compost activator.

I don't think buying the dog food is cost effective, and I would only do it if it was free and spoiled, or not able to be donated to a dog shelter. There are lots of organic things you can get for free. However, I would use a bag of dog food or any feed in my yard over a purchased bag of 10-10-10 anyday. I wouldn't use the latter even if given to me for free. That's just me tho. I've tried both ways, and much prefer the organic approach and it's cheaper or even free. I used to be tied to buying fertilizers a couple of times a year, even different types for different plants, and buying lots of compost and dirt. For me, building up my sandy soil and feeding the soil with recycled organic materials, not feeding the plants, is the real challenge. I think the steady slow supply of nutrients, and the benefit of beneficial bacteria, fungi and bugs far outweighs the unpleasant smell for 5-7 days out of the year. I only do it once a year and usually cover as much as I can as I go, so it isn't too noticeable. As far as attracting vermin, once it's moistened and starts disintegrating, the creatures don't show much interest.

With the organic stuff there is likely to be little lush, tender, rapid growth of plants which is what pests usually like. Alright, I guess you can tell I love talking about this stuff cuz I find it fascinating and it has done wonders for my gardening. It's the free part, tho, and the recycling part, the part where it's better for the environment, that I like most, tho.

Anna

Sue, I think it is a great thread. How else will we see what others think or have tried with success? I'm skeptical of it, but I have enjoyed reading how others feel, and of their own experiences too.

I appreciate your posting it.

Marcia

Granted, there are "all natural" pet foods available, but for the most part I would not call dog food organic. In theory if you are anti chemicals from fertilizer, then you should be anti chemicals from dog food, dog food is loaded with chemicals.

Some of the cheaper food is also loaded with chemicals that some organic people swear cause cancer as well as some chemicals that are banned by the FDA for human use, but still used in pet food.

I didn't get the impression from the article that it was about organic, just cheap - which I don't think it is anyway.

Another interesting perspective. Hadn't even thought about that, Minibim, but it makes sense, too. It's a lot to consider!

Marcia

And yet one more thing to think about with cheap dog food: dogs are not susceptible to the same food poisonings that humans are so the cheaper dog food companies don't screen for them. Salmonella in particular shows up in many, many dog food samples. Whenever you handle dog food, you should wash your hands and teach your children to do the same.

I don't mean to offend anyone or discourage anyone from posting new and fun topics - even the weird stuff ends up being a good discussion. But this recipe, like so many of the 'natural' garden recipes touted by 'sage old gardeners' on TV seems silly and full of holes. The science just doesn't make sense.

Skeptical Kate

I'm going to try throwing 2 cups of the dog food into my compost and will report back. I work at a Vet and we throw out alot of food plus my neighbor has killed all the rats.
So here goes.

While agreeing that dog food is not cheap and would be a waste as a fertilizer if it could be put to better use, I think the premise that it is full of nutrients from grains that can be used by earthworms and soil organisms is a good one and a true one. Alfalfa pellets are commonly used as fertilizer for plants and to stimulate soil life. I think that is a pretty well known and accepted practice. Kitty litter is just clay that holds moisture. The author addresses vermin visitors and activating the recipe by soaking and mixing it all to help it breakdown and covering it with cardboard to make it less accessible to creatures. Aside from not being a cheap recipe, I still feel the author has a lot of sound principles behind his/her recipe. The only silly thing I see is the expense. Kate, what about the science of it doesn't make sense to you?

I absolutely love topics like this, Sue. In this day and age of red tide, fertilizer runoff into our waterways, etc. I think it is important that we discuss other options of fertilizing our plants. Maybe this author was trying to spur conversation and fun and get people to think more creatively about nutrient-rich sources they might have easily accessible that could also serve as fertilizers and be more environmentally-friendly. I think he was wise in bringing up the approach of feeding the organisms that make our soil more fertile. It is a new concept to many and one that I learned from you GW buddies not too long ago.

By the way, speaking of sage old gardeners. Aside from all of you guys, the person I've met that has shared the most valuable gardening knowledge with me is my 72 year-old friend, Dorothy. A woman way ahead of her times. For years she's been telling me she feeds her garden by feeding her earthworms. She scavenges organic materials continuously, which she drags into her yard by herself. Her soil is dark and spongy. Every shovelful has oodles of worms. She has no grass on her acre. I'm finally getting it now. Her garden is a beautiful cottage garden even with no irrigation.

As far as salmonella, yes, I remember the recall last year with dog and cat food. This year there is a recall on tomatoes. There have been recalls on ground beef because of E. coli. I certainly pay attention to these things. However, last year's recall would not stop me from throwing a free bag of old dogfood in my yard as fertilizer and in my compost bin as an activator. I will still buy ground beef on occassion and when I don't have my own tomatoes, I will buy them at the store or farmer's market.

Anna

I raise my worms then add the castings to my garden, Sometimes I make
PUKE SOUP That is castings, water, a little mollasses and ALFALFA pellets aerated and left to brew a few days. Alfalfa pellets do not stink until they are added to my soup then LOOK OUT( they are fine dry to add to my roses etc) I do not worry about rabbits. I have hawks and falcons who rip their guts out and leave them for me to pick up.
I have been to the ORGANIC forums and they all argue. It seems everyone has their own way of doing things and they all want everyone to know and it gets quite ugly. For that reason I stay away from that forum.
I appreciate your comments as well as others
as a matter of fact read where Calf Manna is great for mulching plants.We don't all have to agree but we do have to be polite.
My rule,,,LOL

Anna,
You seem to have had a problem with a couple things I said and so I want to clarify them. First of all, I want to assure you and everyone else that I meant what I said about this being a good discussion. And I apologize if Sue thought I was not being polite. On this topic, and on every other topic that gets posted, it's OK for people to have and present a variety of opinions. I simply do not agree that this method is either "very easy" or "inexpensive". I guess I didn't want to come out and state that so specifically because I like Sue's posts and didn't want to discourage her from bringing up subjects in the future. But junk science is simply just that (as Michael said!) - junk. It's presented as being sensible, but upon examination, it isn't sensible. Or it's meaningless. Or sometimes it's even dangerous. Sometimes you just have to point out that the emperor has no clothes.

The article Sue referenced doesn't suggest tossing dog food on top of your existing garden, around your plants. It's a method for making or rejuvinating a new bed. "...let it ripen for 2-4 weeks." Why not just use the lasagna method? That's also organic, uses materials that are often tossed in the trash, doesn't attract pests, feeds the soil and doesn't stink. Or add some well composted material like mushroom farm compost or even Black Kow.

I'm surprised you could you read my post and think I was writing off the wisdom of elderly gardeners. I've known and written about several elder gardeners here and I'm certain my respect and love for them has come through loud and clear. In writing "'sage old gardeners' on TV" I was referring specifically to Jerry Baker - the man who called himself America's Master Gardener, when he isn't a master gardener at all. This dog food fertilizer recipe reminds me of his gimmicky recipes (i.e., beer, soap, bourbon and any weed killer). I used the quotes around 'sage old gardener' to mean "so called". (Jerry Baker)

As to the science:
- Kitty litter doesn't break down into clay, it is clay. Any clay would work if that's what your soil needs. If it doesn't need clay then it doesn't make sense to add it. A gardener first needs to know what they have before knowing how it should be amended. Lots of the soil in Florida is sandy but not all of it.
- Dog food would release nutrients as it breaks down. So would any food product. Dog food also contains fatty elements, dyes and preservatives - I don't want those in my soil. Plants certainly do absorb and use many elements, but they don't absorb and use vitamins. The cost has already been mentioned. And that the dog food would be of more benefit donated to a pet shelter or rescue organization.
- Salmonella and dog food : the recall last year didn't have anything to do with salmonella. The recall was about tainted wheat gluten that was potentially harmful to the dogs and cats. Throwing dog food in your yard wouldn't be dangerous, even if it was tainted. I merely mentioned it because I don't want people to be handling it without being aware of the food poisoning issue, especially with cheap dogfood. Wash your hands after handing it and it's not a problem.
- Alfalfa pellets would be good for a garden, I'm sure, and I don't have a problem with that.

There are so many good things you can add to your garden, that I don't see why you would bother with dog food.

For the record:

I have used alfalfa and about 15 lbs of dog food in a bed I made recently. The bed is triangle shaped and if it was square it would be about 6x6 feet. I used a gallon of alfalfa, salt free pellets from Antioch Feed and a bag of old dog food that our dogs did not do well on.

After spreading these, I covered them with about 3 inches of top soil. (Free! The empty lot across the street has a pile and I get to go over and load up when I want. The former homeowner died and left the land to the church next to it.) Then I raked it in and spread about 3 more inches of top soil. I let it sit for about 10 days and watered the bed maybe three times. We were still dry then. Some of the food and pellets were quite visible on the surface.

In our swamp and in our yard I have seen rabbits, armadillo and coons, along with snakes. Our neighbors have daschunds and there is a band of feral cats that roam here. In the last 4 weeks since placing the items, I have seen NO evidence that any animal was interested. No digging at all. I did not cover with paper or mulch until I planted my three roses there.

My dogs, on the leashes, were interested in the new smells but that was about it.

My understanding is that the dogfood brings in and supports the earthworms while your organics, leaves, mulch, wood chips, etc are breaking down. As they consume the dogfood (actually, they consume the protozoa that feed and multiply on the decaying dogfood) they leave behind their casings (poop) and THAT is what you want. It is a perfect soil conditioner. That and the oxygen that they bring down into the soil by aerating it.

Wow! I really had NO idea I would have received so many responses.
I've learned so much from you all on what has worked for you in your own gardens.
Trust me, I had no intention of creating any kind of controversy. I had simply seen that article in our local paper and found it fascinating and thought...hey, maybe I'll copy and paste the link. Here is what was printed just above the Dog Food Fertilizer Recipe, that he created and I quote,"John A. Starnes Jr., born in Key West, is an avid organic gardener and rosarian who studies, collects, cultivates and hybridizes roses for Florida. He can be reached at johnastarnes@msn.com
Thanks to all for your responses and suggestions,
Sue

Kate and others,

I think I came across too strongly. I apologize for doing that. I guess it was a reflex in trying to stand up for Sue's posting this. I wanted to let her know that I didn't think this was a silly post not worth bringing up or discussing. In fact, it's posts like this that brought me around to my way of thinking now, so I found it a very valuable post. Frankly, I love discussions like this and I still think this is a good recipe were it not for the cost. Granted, other materials could be used also, preferably free or recycled ones if available.

I certainly agree that everyone should be able to post their own opinion. I value and am interested in everyone's opinion, and I sometimes disagree. I know most people on this forum disagree on occassion also. Our Florida forum is exceptional about being kind and disagreeing politely, and that's what I love about it and what keeps most of us coming back. I'm sorry if I disrupted that, it wasn't intentional.

And I still disagree with some of you about the recipe! If you have a bag of unusable dog food, full of nutrients around the house, I think it is a great use to recycle it in the garden and stimulate the growth of your soil organisms. I would not send it to the landfill. Yes, I know it has a little oil probably (part of what really makes it stench), and some preservatives and vitamins ), but the amounts are small. Perhaps they can't be used by the organisms or plants, perhaps they can. I don't really know. However, when you think about synthetic fertilizers and all the fillers and dyes in there, it seems little in comparison. The benefit of nutrients and especially the activation of soil life is my criteria for putting something in my garden. I've seen what organisms think of dog food when I put it in my compost bin. They love it and make immediate use of it. Anything that an earthworm says yum to is ok in my book.

Yes, as I said in my previous post, and I agree with you Kate, kitty litter is clay. This is the only thing in this recipe that I would delete for my purposes. I don't see the need for it, but I don't think it's harmful either.

Alfalfa, I think most of us agree, is useful in the garden. So personally, I still find the recipe to be a good one, and I think it is just a variation of the lasagna bed method that makes up 80-90% of my yard. A lasagna (or sheet mulching) bed is not specific. You layer any assortment of organic materials over and over. By the way, organic materials meaning those that were from plants or animals, living organisms of some type. Not necessarily organic as in organically certified ( which my yard certainly is not). There are a million and one ways to make a lasagna bed.

Thonotorose, your experience with the dog food and other grains is my experience as well. After moistening well, the creatures leave it alone and are disinterested. Maybe it's the disintegration, maybe it's the spoiling scent.

Anna

*ahem*

It's Ma Nature, here...just checking to be sure everyone is playing nicely...

Seriously, this has been a VERY interesting thread, Sue, and I am glad you posted it. I have read and thought about all the opinions and reservations that have been shared. All are valid viewpoints, and no one should feel that their ideas are less valuable to the discussion than anyone else's.

After reading everything and thinking on it all for a day or two, I tend to agree with Kate. I don't think I want to put dogfood in my garden when I have plenty of other options available. HOWEVER, that is just my own personal opinion regarding my own personal garden. There are MANY different approaches to gardening right here on this forum, as we all know, and usually there is no ONE way to go about things. It's whatever works for you and your own philosophy, most of the time. That's what really counts.

As for me...I never argue with success. If your plants look great, then you are doing something right as far as I'm concerned, whether it is using dogfood, alfalfa pellets, prepared fertilizers, all organics, or yesterday's political verbage (which surely must be the richest source of poop around)! Whatever works, within reason and without lasting harmful effects.

Sue, please don't feel you stirred up anything with this post. People just have strong feelings about what they use in the garden. As long as they express them politely without being rude to each other, it's good to read them. Frankly, there have been posts now and then on much less controversial subjects where one or two people have responded in ways that were definitely uncalled for. In comparison, this discussion has been strong, but not offensive, and has been very informative.

At any rate, this has been an interesting and provacative thread...provacative in the sense of making us all think about the issue. And that's a GOOD thing. Thanks for posting it.

Just my two cents' for what it's worth. (Not much around my house, let me tell ya!)

Marcia

Thanks Marcia. "Whatever floats your boat". (Comment is directed at ALL of us)
That is one reason I enjoy this forum. So many interesting topics and discussions. And if it were not for all of you making your own contributions, we would find somewhere else to go. I wouldn't be surprised if FL Gardening is the most active of all forums here on GW.
Glad we're all friends,
Sue

I visited the Organic forum and on their FAQ Horse and Cow feed is listed as a soil amendment but they don't agree whether it is organic or not due to the (possible)chemicals added.

Somewhere (lost in memory) I saw a post that showed many different fertilizer options with the price per application both chemical and organic. It was very interesting. That's where I got the desire to buy some alfalfa and cottonseed meal. Someday I'll run into some and get it.
I wonder how we could find out the NPK of dry dog food?
and how it compares to alfalfa pellets in cost.

People, you are not following annafl's point. The point is that all of these materials annafl is getting are FREE, they are showing GOOD RESULTS and are getting RECYCLED. Is there a non-disputable better option? There are too many variables. If you can't handle some smell for a few days OR don't want ANY chemicals in your garden OR you like spending money OR have problems with critters OR ..... good luck finding a better all-around cost-effective solution.

I was at the HD a few weeks ago there happens to be a pet**** in front and for the 2nd time I saw 2 employees bring a pallet of Dog/cat food and proceed to open the bags and put it into the dumpster. I was shocked that they didn't give it to the local shelters. There is also ads on Craigslist free section of free grains and cereals suitable for composting from a local food pantry's. I am afraid to try it as I already have critters going thru my compost pile. Which is composed of my next door neighbors bagged lawn clippings, Oak leaves, kitchen and garden scraps and occasional home brewed urea.

I contacted a tree-service that has a chipper, they put the felled trees into, and they now bring the chips to my drive-way... I had a 'clean oak tree' and it went into my rose-beds, I now have a 'big old pine' in the driveway and it is going into the rose-beds bit by bit... these were big truck-loads of wood chips, all free-- free is good---- these tree services have lots of chips they need to dispose of and when they take it to the city land-fill they are charged, quite often by the weight of the load, so a convenient driveway is a good option... and did I say it was free?? LOL.... sally

I had a small quantity of left over dry cat food, so I mixed it into my large container. 2 days later, something dug up the
entire thing. Next time I will soak it in pee overnight.

For those looking for someone who actually used this method. . . here I am. . .an experienced, organic gardener. We moved in 2014, and it rained on our last load of "outside" stuff. Some of that stuff was 50 lbs. of cat food and about 20 lbs. of goat pellets (alfalfa). Instead of counting it a loss, I placed the damp, stinky gunk in a newly formed "lasagna" garden (layered compost), and covered it with cardboard followed by a thick layer of mulch. Although we live in a forested area, there were no squirrels, voles, moles or other beasties (including our dog) bothering the area. It was kept moist through the winter. In the spring, this kitchen garden produced all the vegetables two people required for five months with some for winter preserving. It was the most productive area I've ever grown---in decades. In fact, it out-performed the entire yard . . .even though I implemented good practice and "beyond organic" principles in the additional gardens. Will I do it again? I'm thinking about it for a front yard area that is heavy clay, formerly herbicide/insectide-sprayed, Bermuda grass-infested corner. And yes, the soil's life knocks down toxins in the cat food, just as it does naturally with manures placed in the garden. Live a little. . .use what you have. . .garden with joy and support each other!!! Eating your own local foods HAS to be better than anything you purchase at the store. May the "high of harvest" outweigh the downer of self-righteous gardeners!

What makes me mad is that people are feeding their dogs grain-based food, which is so bad for them.

Oh, how I agree dirtygardener! I've never once taken our dogs to a veterinarian because I employ herbal worming methods and the BARF diet--Bio-Available Raw Food diet---appropriate for the pet's needs. And now, it seems I can purchase raw chicken legs for less than the cost of Purina. Our current dog is 6 years old. We were able to help her recover from Parvo at 7 weeks old. . .people still comment, "What a cute puppy!" Her eyes never have "goobies," her teeth are plaque-less and bright white, her fur is shiny, her body muscular and she still has her puppy-tude! Please check out the BARF diet for your sweet animals. . . it will pay dividends in multiple ways. Did I mention that her feces disintegrates in 2-3 days? We have never had to rake dog poo.