Out walking the dog last night I realized that I was actually walking on composted forest. So I filled up a few dog poop bags to bring home. I got enough to make about 2 gallons, but I can always go get more. My question is, what's the best way to make use of this stuff? Should I add it to my compost pile that I just started? Should I use it to top dress my existing plants? Should I add ingredients and use it just as is? It looks ready to grow in far as I can tell. On the ground there were layers. The top was dead dry stuff, then a layer of moist black stuff, then the crumbly stuff that resembles dirt, then moist dirt. There is also an abundance of chopped down, decaying wood in the surroundings. I tried to grab some of everything except the dry stuff on top. And I spred the dry stuff back over the area where I dug. I'm new to composting and have been reading, but still feel like I need to be told what to do for best results.
The pine oil, acts as a preservative, and makes the 'needles' very difficult to rot down, ensure you have well rotted stuff, dig very deep for the best, ensure your poop don't smell of pine but more forest floor, there is a chem that breaks the pine bonds, forget it for now, but the same chem does much damage to your existing compost, so use heat and sunlight
So you're saying that what I want is the stuff that looks like crumbs, and the dirt underneath as well to plant in, and the black needle stuff is what I want for my compost pile? My compost pile I started recently consists of yard trimmings and green table scraps. Raked up into a pile on the ground in the noon to evening sun. No poop, meat, blood, etc. Thinking about gathering some kelp.
You WILL need to add lime Pine is very acidic. I use pine bark fines in my mix and TJ (Tom Jeffrson), uses needles as a mulch. Personally, I avoid the needles, but whatever works. Just make sure you neutralize the acidity. Wet
I gave up playing cave man with my compost and now make specific teas, it all started with kelp, as I was bleeding serious cash on an imported kelp juice, and had to make my own I have a tut on it sumplace: Agh at RIU: here: http://www.rollitup.org/Journal/Entry/kelp-nute-fe... it is aimed at the 17yo cfl shoebox grower(that I'm not..lol) but the principle is the same, ensure you are sea salt free and now enjoy nettle teas for veg and comfrey teas for bud, best deal yet is BUY in a comfrey plant.. lol Russian Comfrey is best as its seedless ...lol ...I soak my leaves for a month ..many just go 2-3 weeks, strain and dilute 15:1 ..serve half a coffee cup monthly, on average to 3 usgallon pots, I can't get to my blog here at GC for some reason..??? but the deal is to use japanses kelp, paper they use in cooking,.. sushi? to cut it up add to a bottle of water allow to sit in a warm place 2-4 weeks then serve again at 15:1 ...er easy ..lol good luck
Pine trees generally grow in acidic soil so you will want to use some type of a liming agent, like Wetdog said. Pine bark and needles generally fall into the 3.2 to 3.8 range if that gives you an idea. Always plant a test plant - something you don't care so much about in anything you're unsure of. J