I've got lots of green stuff to go into the compost bin now the tomatoes and borage are ready to come out - and think I probably need some manure. Anyone got recommendations for good sources around Auckland?
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If you fancy a drive up to Warkworth, Mahurangi Duck sells wood shavings saturated with duck manure which I have found to be absolutely MAGIC in the garden. I bring a trailer and they load it with a back hoe, $38. Alternately, you could bring bags (I save my Chook Chow bags) and load them yourself. Not sure what they'd charge. I suspect not much, the duck compost is a secondary income stream for them. Call them first to make sure someone will be there: http://www.mahurangiduck.co.nz/
Te Atatu pony club gives away pony poo although I'd be reluctant to use horse dung as it can be full of weed seeds and you need to be really confident that you can get a good hot compost going.
Seaweed is a great idea, as is adding cardboard ( shred it a bit ). But undoubtedly the very best manure is chicken. I know its a bit late but I'd get some chooks if I were you. I got my 5 just for the poo but am the most popular guy in my street as we give most of the eggs away.
Using wood shavings in a coop to a depth of about 100mm absorbs the moist droppings and when added to compost fulfils two functions- nitrogen and carbon. Can't recommend it enough.
Buy that husband of yours a bucket, he should be proudly peeing on the compost and the lemon tree , in fact you could make it a family bucket !
Hope you aren't putting your tomatoes into compost - they carry the nasties that produce blight etc and these may not be killed off if your compost doesn't heat up and may affect next years plants.
I'd love to - but that's going to take a bit more mental preparation. I can't even get my husband to pee on the compost at this point. I have started looking at composting toilets as part of an impending bathroom renovation - but there is by-law and building code palaver to be gotten around...
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If you fancy a drive up to Warkworth, Mahurangi Duck sells wood shavings saturated with duck manure which I have found to be absolutely MAGIC in the garden. I bring a trailer and they load it with a back hoe, $38. Alternately, you could bring bags (I save my Chook Chow bags) and load them yourself. Not sure what they'd charge. I suspect not much, the duck compost is a secondary income stream for them. Call them first to make sure someone will be there: http://www.mahurangiduck.co.nz/
Te Atatu pony club gives away pony poo although I'd be reluctant to use horse dung as it can be full of weed seeds and you need to be really confident that you can get a good hot compost going.
Seaweed is a great idea, as is adding cardboard ( shred it a bit ). But undoubtedly the very best manure is chicken. I know its a bit late but I'd get some chooks if I were you. I got my 5 just for the poo but am the most popular guy in my street as we give most of the eggs away.
Using wood shavings in a coop to a depth of about 100mm absorbs the moist droppings and when added to compost fulfils two functions- nitrogen and carbon. Can't recommend it enough.
Buy that husband of yours a bucket, he should be proudly peeing on the compost and the lemon tree , in fact you could make it a family bucket !
Great idea - I'm in Freemans Bay - so I'm going to have to travel for it I think.
I might take a walk down to the Herne Bay beaches and see if there's any sea weed though.
I would suggest that you see if you can find a good organic dairy farm - that way you're not getting all kinds of ick in your manure.
Also see if you can get some good quality free range chicken poop - that'll get your compost heap up and running really fast
I'd love to - but that's going to take a bit more mental preparation. I can't even get my husband to pee on the compost at this point. I have started looking at composting toilets as part of an impending bathroom renovation - but there is by-law and building code palaver to be gotten around...