can u add sawdust to multi - purpose compost?

Question

recycling!

can anyone tell me if it is posible to ad sawdust to multi-purpose garden compost that you use to fill patio containers?

if so what ratio of sawdust to compost?

will the plants still grow as normal in such a mixture?

thanx

Answer 1

Sawdust is just not great for use in containers.. it uses a lot of nitrogen and can be too fine for aeration at the root zone.

If you use it, add some extra nitrogen fertilizer to deal with the nitrogen that the sawdust will take up in decomposition.

Pine bark and peat moss are better choices for most container growing. Depending on the plants you are growing and container sizes you are using, there are appropriate ratios of each material to provide optimum growth.

Bear in mind that it takes fertilizer to grow plants. too many people expect the potting soil to feed their plants....it will, but not for long. Add fertilizer for best growth!

Honestly, you'll be better off buying a pre-made potting soil like miracle gro than trying to use sawdust to grow plants.

Answer 2

I work in the construction Industry and in fact I have started raising worms . I have tried several attempts to use sawdust in several ways such as cold weather bedding and as you asked Ive added too a compost heap and it will work if you allow too compost for a good bit of time .BUT Ive found if you attempt too use it without composting especially pine based sawdust it will kill some plants and or grasses. Im not sure if its the pine tar or the glue in some of the dust as it was from particle board. Ive also found that I cant use it directlly too my worm beds as a raw uncomposted substance because the worms seem too avoid it also and im assuming the pine tar or glue may be a factor also . I personally save any leftover cold drinks in my home and apply it to my compost it speeds up the compost process. So too answer your question yes you can use saw dust in a rough mixture of about 25 percent of dust to 75 percent other ? and let it compost for a bit longer that you would normally...oh and a note its doesnt work well as a cold weather bedding it asorbs water and raw it will kill your plants I found out the hard way !!!!

Answer 3

Raw uncomposted sawdust, if mixed in soil or aged compost, will rob nitrogen as it breaks down. As others have said, sawdust should first itself be composted before being incorporated into the soil.

Shredded wood, bark and sawdust may be used as mulch on top of the soil. Used in this way they will take little or no nitrogen from the soil.

Answer 4

Yes you can, but you must make sure that the sawdust is itself weathered to remove the sap from it. You cannot use fresh saw dust. As this will cause damage to the roots of plants.
I grow strawberries, mulched with sawdust that has been first used in my chicken house for sometime. Benefit is that it also has the chicken manure, but even then I leave it for about 6mths before I used it.
The sawdust itself is beneficial for good drainage and is just as good as any other compost if prepared before use.
Even better mixed with other composted material.

Answer 5

sure but try this get a 5gal. pot fill with sawdust planp your plant in it use a 1 gal. milk jug pour in 1 cap of fish emulsion to agal.of water pour half of it every day or ever other day .the plant will grow faster & it is light weight . when the plant is through then put the sawdust in your compost .i did peppers like this you might need to stake them.

Answer 6

Sawdust and shavings take nitrogen from the soil (or in your case compost) in the process of decomposing so you will need to take account of this or you will starve your plants. (poor leaf growth-yellowing of leaves)

Answer 7

depending on the wood. eg MDF no, due to formaldyhydes.
otherwise shouldn't cause too many problems if mixed evenly, it will change the acidity, so depends what planting you want; but,
better if mixed in the compost heap for a year, as the inital decompesition will actually use nutrients.

Answer 8

put your sawdust on your compost pile.use it next year.