Cedar Grove compost bad this year?

12 years ago

My neighbors and I shared a 10-yard load of Cedar Grove. ALL of us had bad return early in the season. I noticed that the soil beneath was not rich, was not holding water. I spoke to someone else, who, without my mentioning it, complained of the same thing.

In areas where I did NOT use CG compost, but just the soil that was there re-worked, I had much better gardening.

I'm confused. Did anyone else have a bad batch this year? I've written them to ask if they are doing something differently. I have been using CG for years but will not pay that kind of money again. Nor do I want bad compost. Yes, I will go to a manure farm and seek other methods (including our own, which seems to be fine). Just wondering how others fared this year with CG. And if you have suggestions for non-meat compost (non-antibiotic or hormone) in the area, I'd love that.

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Comments (6)

plantknitter
12 years ago
Cairo, Illinois?

I got some CG last year, but had them mix it with 1/2 coarse sand, to which I added some 3/8th gravel and then top mulched with fertile mulch and bailey's compost this year. So anyway I can't compare to your plain CG. But I do know that I do not like plain CG- it seems too powdery, overprocessed and sterile.
Are you saying that CG is non-antibiotic and non- hormone? Don't they take Seattle yard waste which can contain food products now?
If you find a source for organic compost, I would be interested for a vegetable garden next year.
I do use Bailey's from Snohomish for my ornamental gardens.
Embothrium
12 years ago
What was the purpose of the 1/2 sand and in particular the gravel?
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plantknitter
12 years ago
Re: What was the purpose of the 1/2 sand and in particular the gravel?

My attempt at getting good drainage in some raised berms, (that will stay raised and not just get 'used up' and sunken as pure compost might) that would also approximate the "soil" --alderwood gravel-- beneath, and hopefully not create a perched layer.
I read somewhere that the rock gardens folks use something called quarter ten gravel for their gardens. ( 1/4 -10) but never could fine a source so tried to make up my own. We'll see....

First full year and a half of growth looks great, (so far)
And hoping the moles and worms do a good job of mixing from here on out.
Noni Morrison
12 years ago
My Cedar Grove was so hot when it was delivered that I think it burned up and turned to pretty much ashes. I have not been impressed with new growth from anything I put it on. For compost I want something that is alive with earthworms and smells like good earth, not dry ashes!
brianc2112
12 years ago
Hello,
I made a bunch of cedar boxes for raised veggie beds this year and brought in 30 yards of CG compost/topsoil (aka 2 way mix) as suggested by the folks at CGC. They said that veggie boxes with only compost would not drain well enough and suggested their 2 way mix. The CG compost worked very well for me, other than having multiple strange pieces of non biodegradable plastics mixed throughout the 30 yards. I have posted a link below with pictures taken throughout the growing season.

Here is a link that might be useful: BrianC2112 Garden Pictures
caththegardener
12 years ago
Maybe there was something going on with other compost too. I had "gardener's mix' delivered from Pacific Topsoil and it was like cement and full of broken glass, they gave us some compost to try and help and it wasn't any better, it seemed to be mostly sawdust. A friend had CG compost delivered this year and she said it was full of weeds. I'm frustrated trying to decide what to get next spring. I've used PT and CG in the past with good results, sounds like this year neither was very good.