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hit or miss
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 354
- Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 4:57 pm
- Location: central Kansas
Cotton boll compost?
Anybody use cotton boll compost for mulch?
I don't know whether anyone else has had access to this material for mulch this year (yet...), but...
...how is your experience thus far? A few weeks ago, you said you were trying cotton-boll mulch this year: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=142226
Any observations? Maybe other gardeners in cotton-growing areas can approach those few organic cotton growers and ask about mulch possibilities. I say "organic" because cotton uses 25% of the pesticides used worldwide, according to https://eartheasy.com/wear_orgcot_clo.htm . In the absence of specific information about the pesticide(s) used by a specific grower, it would be adviseable to inquire about organic cotton wastes for use on veggie plants.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
...how is your experience thus far? A few weeks ago, you said you were trying cotton-boll mulch this year: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=142226
Any observations? Maybe other gardeners in cotton-growing areas can approach those few organic cotton growers and ask about mulch possibilities. I say "organic" because cotton uses 25% of the pesticides used worldwide, according to https://eartheasy.com/wear_orgcot_clo.htm . In the absence of specific information about the pesticide(s) used by a specific grower, it would be adviseable to inquire about organic cotton wastes for use on veggie plants.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
-
hit or miss
- Green Thumb
- Posts: 354
- Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 4:57 pm
- Location: central Kansas
Thanks for the info on the amount of pesticides used in the production of cotton.
I like the compost very well. It seems to make a great mat around the plants that weeds can't penetrate and moisture can. It seems to keep the plants evenly damp between waterings also.
I have noticed some small mushrooms growing at times from the mulch though. Makes me wonder if it isn't a little on the fungal side of the spectrum rather than bacterial.
Considering that I don't know the actual origination of the compost, organic or not, I'll probably discontinue it's use next year unless I can get a definitive answer.
I like the compost very well. It seems to make a great mat around the plants that weeds can't penetrate and moisture can. It seems to keep the plants evenly damp between waterings also.
I have noticed some small mushrooms growing at times from the mulch though. Makes me wonder if it isn't a little on the fungal side of the spectrum rather than bacterial.
Considering that I don't know the actual origination of the compost, organic or not, I'll probably discontinue it's use next year unless I can get a definitive answer.
Great to hear about the weed-smothering capabilities; that should encourage other gardeners! 
When I first filled my raised beds with "stuff" in 2008, weird little black mushroom-like growths kept coming up for weeks/months. I finally got tired of it and collected a few into a plastic bag one morning and took my "samples" to my local nursery, where I had purchased my veggie starts.
None of them recognized the growths. But one of the staff ventured an opinion: "I can't say exactly what they are, but they tell me that you have a good, rich, organic growing medium."
She said the word "organic" without any prompting from me. Maybe the mushrooms are good news!
Cynthia
When I first filled my raised beds with "stuff" in 2008, weird little black mushroom-like growths kept coming up for weeks/months. I finally got tired of it and collected a few into a plastic bag one morning and took my "samples" to my local nursery, where I had purchased my veggie starts.
None of them recognized the growths. But one of the staff ventured an opinion: "I can't say exactly what they are, but they tell me that you have a good, rich, organic growing medium."
She said the word "organic" without any prompting from me. Maybe the mushrooms are good news!
Cynthia