• Register  |
  • LoginLogin
Close
Login
 
 
Register
 Advanced search
  • Search
  • Register
  • Login
  • JOIN!
  • View unanswered posts
  • View active topics
  • Gardening
Gardening Forum   VEGETABLE GARDENING  Vegetable Gardening Forum

Red Cedar Sawdust




Post a new topic
Post a reply
7 posts • Page 1 of 1

Red Cedar Sawdust

Sun Jan 22, 2012 1:19 pm

I have a lot of red cedar sawdust.I am wondering if it would be good to mulch around vegetable plants an inch or two deep.I have a 40 ft. asparagus bed I'm thinking of covering with it and also around tomatoes and peppers.
Any one have any thoughts or experience with this?
Larry
I started with nothing and still have most of it!!!
rkunsaw
Senior Member
 
Posts: 250
Joined: Apr 28 '10
Location: Clarksville,Arkansas
Top

Sun Jan 22, 2012 2:37 pm

No experience. But I don't love sawdust of any kind as a mulch - too fine, and packs down, making a hard impermeable layer. It would be ok if mixed with something coarser like wood chips or leaves.

The cedar might be a mixed blessing - it is used for outdoor stuff because it is rot resistant. But you want your mulch to rot....
Twitter account I manage for local Sierra Club: https://twitter.com/CherokeeGroupSC Facebook page I manage for them: https://www.facebook.com/groups/65310596576/ Come and find me and lots of great information, inspiration
User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
 
Posts: 25127
Joined: Feb 15 '09
Location: TN/GA 7b
Top

Sun Jan 22, 2012 3:44 pm

I would compost it. woods saw dust that type of material needs to break down before you use it. It will tie up the mineralization process of breaking nitrogen down to a state that a plant can use.
www.dustyrivergardens.blogspot.com
dustyrivergardens
Green Thumb
 
Posts: 617
Joined: Dec 3 '11
Location: Holbrook Az. zone 5b
Top

Sun Jan 22, 2012 4:04 pm

I have mixed quite a bit of it with my compost.I was thinking a coat of it on top of the soil might help retain moisture and repel insects.
I might try some around a few plants to see if it helps.
I started with nothing and still have most of it!!!
rkunsaw
Senior Member
 
Posts: 250
Joined: Apr 28 '10
Location: Clarksville,Arkansas
Top

Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:34 pm

You could give it a try, but I'm thinking that too much might make the soil very acidic. You said you have asparagus beds. Maybe try it around them first. I'm not certain on asparagus, but I do know that as a rule, perennials in general prefer a more acidic soil.

Let us know how it works out.
There's something new growing in the Helpful Gardener Forum! Become a part of it here!
garden5
Super Green Thumb
 
Posts: 3065
Joined: Aug 7 '09
Location: ohio
Top

Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:45 pm

It might be toxic to young plants. Be careful.

Eric
DoubleDogFarm
Super Green Thumb
 
Posts: 6115
Joined: Mar 29 '10
Top

Sun Jan 22, 2012 9:23 pm

Remember also...you're repelling good insects as well.

And as far as moisture goes, saw "dust" tends to wick moisture up. We used it all the time to clean up spills on the job site when I worked construction (installed hardwood flooring as a matter of fact). My thought would be that it would wick the moisture out of the ground instead of holding it in. And after there's no more to wick away, it will form a crust that, a stated further up in the post, will make it hard for water to get back down to the ground. I'd advise against it....the thought was good. Mix some of it in with your compost if you wanna use it.
Jeff

USDA Zone 7a, Sunset Zone 32.

Failure is only a fact when you give up.
User avatar
GardenRN
Greener Thumb
 
Posts: 1105
Joined: Jan 12 '11
Location: Chesterfield, Va
Top

Please Share. Thank you!

 
 
Top


Post a reply
7 posts • Page 1 of 1

 

 

  •   Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post
  • Plywood sawdust
    in Composting Forum
    10
    3641
    by DoubleDogFarm View the latest post
  • Sawdust shavings?
    in Composting Forum
    7
    3146
    by Binkalette View the latest post
  • Horse manure and sawdust
    in Composting Forum
    5
    1821
    by Rambo 09 View the latest post
  • The truth about plywood sawdust ?
    in Composting Forum
    6
    3794
    by toxcrusadr View the latest post
Return to Vegetable Gardening Forum
  • Delete all board cookies • All times are UTC
Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Copyright HelpfulGardener.com 2003-2018 all rights reserved.
All trademarks and copyrights held by respective owners.