Adding neighbor's refuse into my pile?

16 years ago

Last fall my neighbor had a huge pile of pulled up annuals and various trimmings and hinted that I could have them for my compost pile. I ignored the hint, because she does use a lot of chemicals.

I'm hoping this year's garden will be so lush she may start giving organic some thought. (She recently asked what the heck I was feeding my "tomatoes" to make them so beautiful, and I replied it's all organic. However, my tomatoes were actually peas. LOL. But they were, indeed, spectacular.)

I'm getting ready to have a small chat because I've put out a praying mantis egg case that will be hatching, and some of them will surely head to her garden. (They put up a garden of their own now after watching my harvests the last few years, although I did always share my bounty.) I want to let her know they're good guys and please don't spray.

Anyway, come fall, she'll have some piles of stuff (which they burn - they don't believe in lawn bags or composting) and I hate to see all that go to waste.

On the other hand, I really don't know what chemicals she uses. last year when I had cucumber beetles she said "Here, let me get some stuff for you to use. It kills everything." Um, thanks but no thanks.

What would you do, add this stuff or not? With their new veg. garden, they're going to have lots more stuff.

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Comments (6)

cncnorman
16 years ago
Go ahead and add it. The microherd will take care of most of the stuff you got. If you are terribly worried about her chemicals then just use the resulting compost on your flowers and not foodstuffs.
Demeter
16 years ago
If you're going to be talking to her about the mantises, maybe take that opportunity to ask her what kind of stuff she's using.
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dorisl
16 years ago
Is there enough toconsider making a second pile just for her stuff? Peace of mind?
Kimmsr
16 years ago
I would take it and compost it because the process has been shown to aid in the dissipation of these poisons. None of what she can leagally buy is so persistant that it cannot be composted and composting any garden waste is much better than burning it which produces a great deal of air pollutution.
kimpa zone 9b N. Florida.
16 years ago
I agree, take it, compost it and then show her what you made of her trash. Also, introduce her to insecticidal soap. Maybe buy her a bottle. I'm sure it would be worth the $5 or so to guide her in the right direction.
julianna_il
Original Author
16 years ago
These are all fantastic responses. Thank you.

At first when it was suggested I make a second pile, I thought, I don't have room! But then I thought, you know, I've got a big bed out back with a lot of dahlias that I pull up for winter, and I might just make a separate pile out there. Then I could spread it next spring right where it's at, along with showing her what her trash became.

I know she's been intrigued by my pile more than once because she's seen the steam coming out during winter and came over and looked at it.

The good news is that practically every project outside I do, they later copy it. It's kind of funny/odd, but this might just do the trick. If I make a special pile just from her stuff, then show her what I get next spring, it might just entice them into another copy. I love the idea!

If I did another pile out on that bed, could I do it without constructing a bin? I know you can, but I'm concerned about stuff blowing away...how do you prevent that, or is it not a problem?

I actually haven't used any insecticidal soap myself, but would be willing to buy a bottle and "share" with her. That way I could give it a try, plus hopefully point her our way.

I'm just imagining her face when I tell her about the mantises...it's not going to be good. She has very sour faces when I tell her of various projects. (She's about 70) You should have seen her when I told her I was putting up some lattice pieces (12 feet of it...turned out pretty) along one edge of the garden to give my climbing veggies something to climb. The truth was it was twofold:

1. To screen out some of their junky backyard and to give me some privacy when working in my garden (because she's now caring for five great-grandchildren, ages 1 to 5 and they are enchanted with me)

2. To act as a sort of barrier to her chemical garden, which they planted just across the property line from mine. Mine is on the edge of the line as well, so they're just about six feet away.

When I told her of the upcoming project, she gave me her famous sour look and said "Why would you do that? Just buy tomato cages. Those work fine."

LOL.

Adding neighbor's refuse into my pile?

Comments (6)

cncnorman

Demeter

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dorisl

Kimmsr

kimpa zone 9b N. Florida.

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Adding neighbor's refuse into my pile?

Comments (6)

cncnorman

Demeter

Related Discussions

dorisl

Kimmsr

kimpa zone 9b N. Florida.

julianna_ilOriginal Author

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julianna_il
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