Thank you Annpat - I was at the beach recently - we live about an hour away. There was a little seaweed there, but it certainly didn't look as good, fresh, vital as when I was a kid on the beach. It was all dried out. I forgot to take a 5 gallon bucket with me any way so I didn't bother taking any home with me. You make a good point about just not disturbing natural areas and processes. I do worry about all the products that now use seaweed, or fruit or nuts or whatever in their products. Not even used for food. It just depletes everything even faster.

I was sorry to see signs that suggested that you check a website for a score of whether there was high enough bacteria in the ocean river that entered the ocean there, that you should stay out of it. Wow. My favorite beach for swimming. It's so sad.

(My cousins are from Nahant.) The time to head to the ocean with your bucket is right after a storm. The beaches should be covered with it. Those bombogenises are great for that. The garden doesn't care what condition the seaweed is in. I used to like the fresh because it was full of water and held my newspaper down better.

The very first time I used newspaper, I covered my whole garden with 6 sheets of it, then covered that with hay to hide its hideousness, I came home from work a few days later, and about a mile before my house, I saw a piece of newspaper snugged up against a shrub. 20 feet later, I saw a house with a few pieces of newspaper blowing across its yard. Odd. Then I came to a house that had about a dozen pieces of newspaper clinging to its siding. At that point, something began to dawn on me. The closer I got to home, the worse it got. Everybody's yard (except mine) was covered with newspaper. My yard was covered with hay.

Oh, the walk of shame with my garbage bags to gather up the windblown newspaper! Picking newspaper off the walls of houses, pulling it off people's landscaping, chasing blowing sheets across their lawns. And yet, it was no where near the most humiliating moment of my life.

That's how I learned that seaweed needs to hold the paper in place. Hay isn't enough.

And now that we finally stopped getting a daily paper delivered, we don't have newspaper for the garden any more. I do have plenty of cardboard boxes though. [g]

Funny you should mention Nahant. On Thanksgiving we wanted to take a ride to the beach and we usually drive up to Maine, but we didn't want to take that time, so we drove over to Nahant. Hadn't been there in decades and had never been on the Nahant beach. We were so surprised at what a nice beach it was for being so close to the city. Plenty of parking, nice long white sand beach. We'd go again, it only took us 30mins to get there instead of the 60mins it takes to drive to Maine.

My cousins used to live in a huge stone house facing a beach called Forty Steps. I wonder if that is the beach you mean. There's a neat little rock island on the right side if you're facing the ocean.

" Oh, the walk of shame with my garbage bags to gather up the windblown newspaper! Picking newspaper off the walls of houses, pulling it off people's landscaping, chasing blowing sheets across their lawns."

Hold your head up dear gentle lady,the neighborhood was likely impressed that bag ladies have began wearing office attire now days.

beesneeds

"Lol klem, I don't know if I'm the only sane one. I just do what works for me and my land. It's for sure not for everyone, some consider me pretty nutty for the work I do. But then, isn't that the way of a lot of gardeners? We all have our own nutty ways of doing things."

True but you are the only one constructing berms to spare neighbors watching daybreak strolls as we and our dogs go about adding urea to our bins and heaps.

Klem! :^ ]

AnnPat - Gee, I don't know if that was the beach or not. And I was distracted because we had our small dog with us and let her off the leash and I was keeping an eye on her that she didn't get into trouble. [g] We will go again and I'll have to notice the name of the beach and whether there is a rock island there. Interesting info, thanks.

There's a beach and road they call the Causeway just over the bridge from Lynn. I bet that was the beach.

annpat - Thought I'd chime in and let ya know I'm not slacking on the composting in the winter time here. Lots of fish scraps, covered with a layer of leaves will attract thousands of red worms in the spring. I will harvest them, catch some more fish and start the process all over.

Is that what’s known as composting on a grand scale? ;-)

tj

I bury fish scraps near trees and shrubs after a successful fishing trip but haven't put any in compost lately. I once tried making fish emulsion and once was enough.

tsugajunkie - funny thing, the scales are always left even a couple years later. I just leave and mix them in the usable compost and they eventually disappear

klem1 - I've made fish emulsion a few times and probably will again someday when I'm bored. It really gets rank!

RANK? It made every skunk within 5 miles gag when I tried my hand.

old_dirt, I'm going to remember to exempt you next year when I disparage and belittle the others. That's a lovely photograph, and it makes me wonder if perhaps your quiet example goes farther to inspire than my harsh words do.

All right. I'm here to inspect some compost piles. Who among you live in Delaware? Virginia? the Carolinas? You can relax, John. I went through PA. in the dark. I'll catch you on the way back.

I’m too far away but no need to inspect my compost anyway. A possum does that regularly for me,

tj

Not in an inspection state, heh. I did dump a bucket full of kitchen scraps and a bucket of debris from cleaning up the winter plants in the porch- those buckets went into the compost cage off the kitchen. Some other kitchen scraps went into the compost tumbler.

Checked out the gardens yesterday. Cage one will need to be fitted in with cardboard on top and topfilled a bit with some growing mix this year. It's gotten pretty uneven and I want to even it out a bit deep with fluff. Likely doing root crops in it this year. This fall I'll unwrap it and see if it looks ready to unpin, empty, and reset. Cage two will see some of the mulch cleanup this spring, and I think melons or squash can go in this year. Cage three is the one to get filled with compostables from the gardens this year.

I haven't been out back yet. Things are probably the same as they were last fall. But it's getting about that time to start cutting some willows and check to see how the water is flowing. We have gotten some good snow and rain recently :)

I've not been a recent contributor to this forum, but I did spend many hours (weeks?) here in former decades. Just know that I love you all. I now live with my elderly mother, so I have to place severe restraints on my collection of composting materials. I'm working on a gentle education process, and keeping my composting activities as neat as I can, to avoid any negative experiences for her. Wish me continued progress.

Martha

DocMom - Happy to see you posting. You just moved to a new property, didn't you? Two years ago now? How is the new garden going?

I'm noticing this winter, as I try to make more of an effort to collect kitchen scraps, that with just two of us in the house, I don't end up with enough 'greens'. Even when the season starts, I'm trying to figure out where I am going to get enough 'greens' for a hot pile.

John? Inspection? You mean I'd better spit shine my sneakers. If I'm the right John I think I'd flunk. I put up a three sided fence for a new compost pile last fall. Used old fencing and never tied up the open end of the fencing. Wanted it to catch the leaves blowing from the west, including from that Pin Oak up wind. Double and triple chopped the leaves on the lawn and mixed them with 5 bags of fresh horse manure to cut down on the composting time. The pile is probably still frozen. Not ready for prime time!

I'm seriously thinking of taking a truckload of that mushroom stuff you like so much home with me when I go back through.

Martha, I'm headed to the Keys right now to meet up with four Garden Webbers---a small subset of our group---that I met here 20 + years ago---I bet you know them all.

prairiemoon2 z6 "I'm noticing this winter, as I try to make more of an effort to collect kitchen scraps, that with just two of us in the house, I don't end up with enough 'greens'. Even when the season starts, I'm trying to figure out where I am going to get enough 'greens' for a hot pile."

I to recently found myself in need of more green than usual due to a large project that came up unexpectedly. That caused me to remember what I did for a period living on a city lot. There was a seldom used unpaved alley easement where I sowed annual Rye,Wheat, Vetch in Fall and Millit in Summer then used bagger on mower to harvest green material. If you have an area that can be allowed to go unmanicured from time to time,you might try one or more of those for sources of greens. With timing and a little management the plants shade out less desirable plants and can be turned under to improve soil where grown. Inground garden plots should usually be sown in cover crop between seasons and can be harvested for greens in emergency. Fresh woodchips have more N than some think,meaning they don't need much more N to compost eventhough taking longer than ideal mixtures. It seems lack of space might be the most difficult to overcome. With ample space one might have reserve in the form of cold compost which is to say instead of simply storing browns until greens become available,some or all is moistened and airated. More prevelant where space alows is multiple piles in varing stage of decay that aren't tended,just letting nature handle it in time.

ann - I have some of the mushroom compost here. You're welcome to ....... say a sand bucket. I have a roll of shrink wrap, to help with the air quality in your car. If your driving a pickup, you're set for a couple of yards.

Thank you Klem, yes, that is the issue for me here too, space. My lot is only 1/4 acre. I know I will have a couple of places I can sow some cover crop and I'm going to plan on doing that. Is there a cover crop that you can grow perennially that would be like cut and come again and would produce a lot of mass?

And multiple piles is a great idea too. But I think I'm going to run out of leaves this year too. Sometimes it's windy enough that leaves end up in other people's yards. We use cardboard but more often then not, I save that to lay down on the ground under mulch.

Is two yards of mushroom compost the price of hush and being spared public shaming following "inspection"? Had I realized this was where we were headed I would have kept my head down when it started. If this is how she wants to play I say we start looking for concrete overshoes or MAYBE THIS if someone in these states will volunteer their heap for public cause.

Lol klem, pretty sure if a suggestion for concrete overshoes is mentioned, keeping legal with corpse composting might be moot.

Priariemoon I might have been hasty in suggesting annuals that do well in Tx. After a secound look and realizing you are in Ma,I suggest you find annuals best suited to your area. Rye might be a contender for Fall/Winter/Spring but Millit's biggest benifit is ability to grow on poor soil at high temperatures with little moisture. Perennials seldom produce as much mass as annuals in a year. What I suggested is suitable when space alows so 1/4tr acre doen't give you much to work with. Although I have space to do as I want,I pratice something that anyone with turf can. Grass and debris kicked up by lawn mowers is sucked into outdoor ac coils where it restricts airflow. I have a 55 gallon plastic barrel full of holes tucked behind shrubs near my unit. The only gass I catch is near patio and ac units to be put in barrel. Again not as big of issue in Ma as Tx but good to know in many areas. Look at the bright side,your 1/4 acre operation isn't likely to catch much attention from inspectors. Do you think there could be a connection with all the recent spy balloons?

I bet you are right,concrete overshoes would almost certainly subject one to a fine for violating water quality regulations. (;

And they might create a snag that old_dirt finds while fishing.

tj

Annpat,

Enjoy the Keys, and give my best to all the Gardewebbers!

Prairiemoon,

I have been here with my mom for just over a year. Had a great tomato/pumpkin/snap pea season last year, and I'm working on expanding the vegetable and pollinator garden beds. We have tons of maple and oak trees (among others) and I was able to rake 30-36" of leaves onto the existing and future beds. The edges of the previous beds have migrated outward, and will continue to do so. Those piles of leaves have settled, but I hope the density of the leaves will result in the death of grass and weeds underneath. I was pleased that very few of the leaves seem to have blown away.

I was taught (by the old timers here on Gardenweb) that fallen leaves actually have a decent mixture of nitrogen and carbon, so they can compost effectively on their own, without much in the way of greens. I'm not working toward a hot pile. I just want to improve my soil, conserve moisture, and suppress weeds.

Happy composting,

Martha

Klem, I'm postponing your inspection until your mood improves.

John, what if I took a bucket of your mushroom compost, then someday you asked if you could have a bucket of my gorgeous, homemade compost in return and I said, "No."? That would be terrible! I couldn't live with myself! If I'm not on a mad tear to get home, I may ask the location of your source, though, on my way back through. I'm driving a truck. My nephew in Delaware is also a mushroom compost user. We don't have such a thing in Maine.

Ann - DW has gotten jealous.

As far as the mushroom compost the largest mushroom farm is south of Philadelphia and they give it away free; or so I'm told. However "they" say that you have to wait in line and they give preference to the big trucks; 18 wheelers which take a while to load. But, it should be cheap if you buy it from a large seller in that area. But you may want to google a source somewhere north of Boston and make the hauling cheaper. You should be prepared to cover ii, to prevent loss and a 4 figure ticket for loosing your load.

If i could make enough of my own compost I would and if I was healthy enough to haul free horse manure I'd do that. I'm 78 and have immune system and heart problems so those days are over.

I've had 2 working compost piles for several years and 3 piles this season. The oldest pile is 18 years old and is next to my small garden; near the house. That one came about as there are 2 tree lines and a property line and it's natural to blow the leafs there with the riding mower. The 2nd pile in freestanding on the inside of the big garden against the north fence. The newest pile I started so that I can multi chop and bag out the leaves, in other parts of the lawn, instead of blowing them into a windrow and then rake them onto a tarp and drag them. And then I also usually buy 3 or 4 yards of MC.

Ok Ann,if you aren't coming for juice I'll call off the shakdown and put one way rides on ice until the commission has a sit down.

I know what "on ice" means, klem. It's no better.

John, tell your wife she has nothing to worry about---unless she keeps a sloppy, unkempt pile, that is.

I've been wanting a truckload of mushroom compost since my nephew got some several years ago. If I do get some going back through Delaware, it'll probably freeze solid on my way home and be in the bed until spring. I forgot the blowing out of the bed part, though, and I don't want to ride with a tarp.

I'm going to bring home some baby coconuts for my compost. They're floating in the water here in Islamorada where I am with 7 people I met here on Spike's website many, many years ago. We've all known Floral that long, too, but she refuses to come to Florida with us.

" I forgot the blowing out of the bed part, though, and I don't want to ride with a tarp."

I've used shade cloth for years while hauling soil,compost,leaves,manure,trash and other things that like to blow out. I had an awning company seam and set grommets in heavy shade cloth,no more flapping tarp. Pieces that could cover a truck bed are thrown out as scrap,call around to see if an awning company will help you out. If not,buy some at big box along with quick-grip tie downs. You can also order shade cloth/mesh tarp with grommets from Amazon and Ebay. If any of those people are uncooperative, lean on them a little and say Klem sent me. (;

Amazon has a heavy duty 5X8" tarp for $11.99.

You need to call ahead to confirm that the mushroom compost source is open this time of year. I have two local sources that I'd buy from. I went to school with one owner, but he won't dump off the driveway so I don't buy it from him. The other source isn't open till later in the spring and then when they open they "haven't received .any MC yet".

I have about a cu yard here, which I plan to spread in the grass around the fruit trees.

I will!

I took up indoor mushroom growing this winter, and have had multiple 5-gallon-bucket-sized containers of mushroom "compost" to add to my garden beds over the winter. I don't know how much they will contribute, but it's fun to know there are mycelium potentially growing amongst my layers leaf mulch. Diversity and maintenence of Mother Nature's ways seems to be a reasonable approach.

Martha

" Diversity and maintenence of Mother Nature's ways seems to be a reasonable approach."

Am I correct in believing this means you make it a point to include more than a single source of compost when preparing beds? I have no proof it's an improvement but I go out of my way to include diverse material while preparing or reworking soil.

Growing mushrooms appears to require closer attention than I can muster. Specifically,it sounds like wild or unwanted spores can take over and produce mushrooms different to intended. Do you consume mushrooms that you grow or just include them in compost? If you tell me you share some with neighbors before eating them yourself I'm adding you to my list of "keep my eyes on". (;

Martha! Now you've got me wanting to grow mushrooms. I've had a bunch of spores in my fridge that required a freshly cut log, which I couldn't find.

My brother and his wife built a house when they had their first child, and my mother and I went for a tour of the house as it was being built. My sister-in-law showed us the south-facing, front window that would be their new baby's future bedroom, "Look at the view of the meadow she'll have! What a bright sunny room this will be! She can have a window box with tulips or pansies. Later, she can fill it with marigolds!" We stepped across the hall to the bedroom on the back of the house, a dark, gloomy, room facing a dark woods. "This child," my brother said, "can grow mushrooms."

Klem1,

I certainly consume my mushrooms, though it is tempting to cultivate some of the toxic varieties, just to have for sharing with deserving aquaintences. The substrate that is left over, once the mushrooms have been harvested, goes into the garden for compost.

Annpat,

It is possible to grow certain varities of mushrooms outside (Wine Cap and Oyster varieties). The process for indoor growing is quite labor intensive and uses too much plastic for my taste, at least to avoid overly frequent contamination of cultures. I have had decent success indoors. My outdoor beds have yet to produce, but it's been just one year. My shiitake logs have also not yet produced.

Martha

Note to self "stay on Martha's good side".

That's good to know, Martha. My sister-in-law gave me the spores---I don't remember right now what they are, but they require a fresh maple or birch log---vertical or horizontal. They may no longer be viable; they've been in my fridge for two years.

beesneeds, get your bees yet? I have two packages of Saskatraz coming. (Apologies to the OP for the hijack.)

annpat - I'm thinking you have Shiitake mushroom spawn. Not likely they are still viable but worth a try.

Italian Oyster, I just checked. I also doubt they're viable.

" I have two packages of Saskatraz coming. (Apologies to the OP for the hijack.) "

Oh my, now I'm worried for you ! LOL

I know! As if I have to apologise now, after all these years, for a hijack!

No bees yet. There have been some issues- the bee site is being planned for another location now. I'm getting the work on the ring done up quicker and it will be more secure anyway. And the willow stave stock originally meant for bee fencing now needs to be shifted over to some other more necessary fencing repairs.

I have gotten a bit of composting work done. Cage 1 is now fully lined and reset. Ready for planting- summer squash and flowers. Cage 3 is relined and recieving hard debris. Cage 2 isn't broken down well enough. I meant to topset it for melons this year, but I'm thinking it's just not ready. I might just rewrap it to neaten up and top it off with the "good" debris this year to settle for a while again.

Got the resting area of the new berm cleaned up and ready for summer work. Had to start a new brush pile while cleaning up around the old apple trees out back. Broke the lock on one handle of my telescoping loppers- now need to fix the handles to the long position and leave them that way. But pretty sure I uncovered a third apple tree out there.