gumbo2176
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Made a score today for the compost pile.

I had to take my daughter to see a Dr. and on the way there I noticed a house in my neighborhood with a lot of clear plastic bags filled with oak leaves. So, on the way home, I stopped and threw them in the back of my pickup truck---22 bags in all.

Then I went to the local horse stables and filled the truck with stable waste mixed with sand from the riding arena. Great score and it will be piled to make my compost for the fall garden tomorrow morning when it is a bit cooler. It is 83 right now and downright muggy.

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PunkRotten
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Nice score.

gumbo2176
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Marlingardener wrote:Ah, no wonder you have such a magnificent garden! I envy you--I have access to lots of manure, but very few leaves.
There are so many oak trees in N.O. that every morning this time of year I have to hose off the cars to get the layer of yellow pollen off them. Within the last 2 weeks tons of leaves and pollen from these trees has fallen to the ground.

It makes for a bad situation where storm drains are concerned. I take the time to clean the leaves from the grates for the 3 on our street but far too many are completely covered or blocked by leaf debris. The irony is, if it rains hard and the streets flood due to blocked drains, the very homeowners that don't clean their drains are some of the first to complain about flooding.


But it is a true bonanza for the gardener.

rot
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..
The blessing of all those leaves is a curse. Isn't that true of a lot of things?

I guess that's where I get so much out of composting. Taking what is otherwise waste and turning it into abundance.

Since I started composting, I became more scrupulous about diverting things for recycling too. Between composting and recycling, I've managed to reduce my weekly trash for pick up by over half.

My thinking has been altered. I don't look at trash the same way anymore. Leaves clogging storm drains is just one more example of how letting what we waste come back and bite us.

I'm no Saint (go Jets) and I'm sure I'm more of the problem than I am the solution but I'm moving in another direction now. I can't be sure it's the truest direction but I believe it to be an improvement from where I was going.

Nice score, by the way.

to sense
..

pickupguy07
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Location: GA

I scored really well back in the fall also.
Dad had a neighbor who was always cutting the grass, and sucking up the leaves in his bagger. He said if we'd leave some bags he'd pour it into it. Then a few neighbors found out we were looking for grass / leaves.... it just flowed in. I think I got about 75 bags this fall. When we would unload them from the truck you'd feel the large amount of heat built up while in the bags. I should have LOTS of leaves for this year (and the next and the next).. lol

gumbo2176
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I talked to a guy that runs a lawn cutting business earlier today. His company is the one that maintains one of our cemeteries near my house. I'll meet up with him tomorrow about noon to pick up as many as 30 bags of grass clippings, oak leaves and discarded floral arrangements to be added to my rows and compost pile.

I love free organic material, especially in that kind of abundance. And it's a bonus when it is bagged for pickup.

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applestar
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Me too! ...or almost maybe.
My friend who volunteers at a Bunny Rescue is going to find out if I could relieve them of their... Um... You know. 8) :wink:

gumbo2176
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Marlingardener wrote:Gumbo, you'll never know what you started!
I got to thinking about all those lovely leaves you have, and instead of making a "leaf run" to New Orleans, I called a neighbor who has a pecan orchard. He was flabbergasted that I wanted to come rake leaves in his orchard in the fall. So, I have a source of leaves come November. It won't be the lovely amount you have, but it's more than I did have.
See what you got me into?
Jane, you do realize that is the time of year the pecans begin to fall to the ground. What an added bonus of raking the leaves and possibly gathering a few tasty pecans in the process while enjoying cool fall weather.

My wife saw the note I left on the table to remind me to make it to the cemetery later today to pick up the bagged clippings. When I told her the man said I can take as much as I want and mentioned he'd have as many as 30 bags, she just looked at me, shook her head and walked off.

It's not often I leave her speechless. :lol: :lol:



Applestar, getting free rabbit manure would make my day. I hope that works out for you.

toxcrusadr
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I hereby christen those as 'bunny beads' ! :lol:

rot
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Wabbit waisons
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