Chicken poop in soil

[garybo]

Hi all and happy New Year.

In years past I would mix a year’s worth of compost with my past season’s soil and use that mixture as my medium for the upcoming crop. This past summer I started adding chicken poop to the compost and now I’m concerned that if I mix that compost with this upcoming season’s soil, will the medium be too hot for the plants. My mixture usually is 1 part compost to 3 parts last years soil.

I’m wondering if there is some way to test the medium with chicken poop added to be sure it is OK (not too hot) for the young plants to be grown in. I’ve been told that I can take a sample to the Agricultural Dept in town to test, but I would prefer to keep those folks out of the equation.

If I may add, I just finished reading the post; “Re-Use Soil Over”, started by @Wildbilly earlier this month and it was a great read, very informative advice from our 420 members. What a great forum we have.

garybo

 

[Phytoplankton]

Hi all and happy New Year.

In years past I would mix a year’s worth of compost with my past season’s soil and use that mixture as my medium for the upcoming crop. This past summer I started adding chicken poop to the compost and now I’m concerned that if I mix that compost with this upcoming season’s soil, will the medium be too hot for the plants. My mixture usually is 1 part compost to 3 parts last years soil.

I’m wondering if there is some way to test the medium with chicken poop added to be sure it is OK (not too hot) for the young plants to be grown in. I’ve been told that I can take a sample to the Agricultural Dept in town to test, but I would prefer to keep those folks out of the equation.

If I may add, I just finished reading the post; “Re-Use Soil Over”, started by @Wildbilly earlier this month and it was a great read, very informative advice from our 420 members. What a great forum we have.

garybo

You could just try planting some winter vegetables (seeds or sprouts) in it and see if they do well.

 

[garybo]

You could just try planting some winter vegetables (seeds or sprouts) in it and see if they do well.

Thanks @Plytoplankton for that idea, good one.

 

[BeccaBuds]

Got some aging bagseed you could throw in the soil for a test? btw, January 5th is a good planting day according to the Farmers Almanac.

 

[garybo]

I have a few extra seeds in the fridge to play with @beccabuds , thanks for the offer though. I'll be taking @Plytoplankton suggestion, but instead of veg's seeds I'll be using with some cannabis seeds I've had tucked away for a couple of years.
Take care and be prosperous.

 

[Phytoplankton]

The other thing to factor in is, unless you're going to use the soil now, if your in the Northern Hemisphere you've got another 4-6 months for the soil to "cook" before planting season.

 

[SmokingWings]

I have a few extra seeds in the fridge to play with @beccabuds , thanks for the offer though. I'll be taking @Plytoplankton suggestion, but instead of veg's seeds I'll be using with some cannabis seeds I've had tucked away for a couple of years.
Take care and be prosperous.

Only problem is that those seeds are a couple of years old. Unless you took a good sample of them previously and sprouted them to find the germination rate you will not know if a failure to sprout in your new soil is because of how long the seeds have been store or because the soil is too "hot".

If I were to buy a package of 2023 seeds, maybe one each of a tomato and a bean, and plant 10 of each type I would expect 9 to sprout which should fit in with what the seed company gives as their germination rate (usually 95 - 98% for fresh seed from reputable companies).

I’ve been told that I can take a sample to the Agricultural Dept in town to test, but I would prefer to keep those folks out of the equation.

Don't tell them what you are growing. If they ask then just say that your significant other is planning on growing some tomatoes in big pots on the patio if there is some sort of social back and forth conversation. I have never had them ask what I was growing or where the sample came from when I have had soil tests done.

The best part of an Ag Dept test is that they should be able to give you the percentage or ratio of organic material to mineral. Plus, they should provide the % of the macro and some micro nutrients. Plus they might have suggestions on any changes that could be made.

There is a member who sends off a sample of their soil mix every year or every couple of years without any problem. But, in the end, it is up to you since we don't know the circumstances where you are at.

 

[garybo]

@Plytoplankton, @beccabuds , @SmokingWings . Thanks guys for the great suggestions.

Just today I dumped the compost (stored in an old bath tub) on a ground to dry out a few weeks.
In the process, I'll germinate a few old seeds in jiffy pods and when they sprout, they will go under a grow light until the compost has dried out.

I'll than play around with the mixture, something like 1 part compost to 4 parts of last years soil, and so on.
When the baby plants get a little age, they will go into a 3 gal bag.

I figured that by mid April when I put the crop out, I should know which soil works best.
If I lose a plant or two due to the soil being too hot, I'll survive, some of those seeds are freebee's anyway.

Now, after reading SW's suggestion about having the Agg Dept test, I'm leaning toward doing that and take the medium I'll be making up to them for testing.

I'll probably continue with germinating some of those old seeds I'm been hording anyway, if they grow, I'll take them to one of my vet buddies and he will finish them up.

You guys are the greatest, thanks again and have a safe and prosperous New Year.

What a great place 420 is to hang out in!

 

[SmokingWings]

... having the Agg Dept test, I'm leaning toward doing that and take the medium I'll be making up to them for testing.

I would guess that it is up to the local Agriculture Department whether there is a cost for the test since TANSTAAFL (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) always has priority. I felt that the cost for the Michigan Dept of Agriculture test was worth the money just for the info in the results and the reassurance that the soil was healthy.