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calm1_gw

Sawdust beans

calm1
10 years ago

Hello everyone,
Question is most folks on the mulch forum are against using sawdust-wood shavings because it depletes nitrogen from the soil. I'm thinking that because beans "absorb" nitrogen & affix it to the roots, perfect spot to use up a bunch of shavings & sawdust as a mulch. Make any sense?
Thanks
Ed

Comments (6)

  • dlsm
    10 years ago

    Ed don't do it. My friend used horse manure with wood shavings mixed with the manure. His garden vegetables were a pale yellow even after adding Ammonium Nitrate. It took several years to get his soil back to normal.

    If it works don't fix it.

    Luther

  • zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
    10 years ago

    Ditto. I wouldn't use sawdust unless it had been composted.

  • bgrow_gardens
    10 years ago

    Ok not to sideline this thread...but I am curious, as the leaves fell over the winter. I raked and piled them on my garden over the winter to enrich the soil for future springtime. After all heck it's free right.?? I have a ton of oak, and poplar leaves piled up at least a foot deep in some spots.

    Anyhow with a break in the weather earlier last month, I roto-tilled most of them in. I plan on doing that again as soon as the soil is once again workable.
    Anyhow my question is should I add ammonium sulfate to the area to counter act any nitrogen depletion that may occur?? If so I am curious as too how much? My gardening area will be approximately 16'x50'

    My main crop for the area will be bush beans, squash, pole beans and a few tomato's of course. I just wanted to chime in and say I have been reading all of the posts here for quite sometime now and have thoroughly enjoyed them!

    As you might be able to tell I have been thoroughly bitten by the bean affliction that is running around on this forum !! Great forum here ... Thanks for any words of wisdom and advice as well.

  • bgrow_gardens
    10 years ago

    Ok not to sideline this thread...but I am curious, as the leaves fell over the winter. I raked and piled them on my garden over the winter to enrich the soil for future springtime. After all heck it's free right.?? I have a ton of oak, and poplar leaves piled up at least a foot deep in some spots.

    Anyhow with a break in the weather earlier last month, I roto-tilled most of them in. I plan on doing that again as soon as the soil is once again workable.
    Anyhow my question is should I add ammonium sulfate to the area to counter act any nitrogen depletion that may occur?? If so I am curious as too how much? My gardening area will be approximately 16'x50'

    My main crop for the area will be bush beans, squash, pole beans and a few tomato's of course. I just wanted to chime in and say I have been reading all of the posts here for quite sometime now and have thoroughly enjoyed them!

    As you might be able to tell I have been thoroughly bitten by the bean affliction that is running around on this forum !! Great forum here ... Thanks for any words of wisdom and advice as well.

  • drloyd
    10 years ago

    I use composted wood chips including bark and it works great.

  • dlsm
    10 years ago

    When You till the leaves in over the winter months they get composted. Google how to compost, then you will understand how to decompose carbon material.

    Luther

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