Compost tea from compost tumbler  Is the compost tea from my tumbler (ie., the water that drains into the reservoir below) useful in any way? or did I buy a can of worms? (no pun intended ...

Composting Azalea Leaves?  Dear Doug,
First let me thank you-because of your praise of compost my husband finally set up my compost tumbler and two fenced compost piles for me!...

mushroom compost and tomatoes  Can mushroom compost give a fungus to a vegetable plant? We planted our tomatoes (and corn, and squash) in mushroom compost a week ago and now none of ...

Chloramine Water in Compost Tea  Please address how to clean the water of the chemical chloramine prior to brewing compost tea

Doug says that this is a growing problem as more and more ...

When to use compost  Hi Doug,
I have been composting for years and have developed a system in which I apply my compost to the gardens in the fall. Everywhere I look people ...

Revitalizing an almost-finished compost pile?  Hi Doug! It's finally spring, and last year's compost pile has thawed, and it's *almost* ready, but not quite. It's nice and dark, but it's cooled down,...

green or brown compost  Hello I would like to know if banana plants and their leaves are considered green or brown for compost purposes. Thanks.

They're green. All plant refuse ...

Trash barrel as compost bin?  You have a metal compost bin pictured at the top of this page. I've seen smaller sized compost bins at very expensive prices, all made of plastic. Is there ...

How Much To Add  I'm a new gardener, just planted about 80 canna lilies in beds dug all round the house and deck in front, this past Spring. I got a Mantis tiller to do ...

Using mulched leaves.  Would mulching all leaves and piling 4-5 inches on the garden each winter do about the same thing as compost?

Doug says that close counts :-) The piled ...

mushroom compost  My husband purchased mushroom compost to use in our flower beds. Our property slopes down into our neighbors lawn. Our neighbor is now getting mushrooms ...

compost and cat litter  can i put cat litter/waste into compost? i use a litter that's 100% corn, no clay or additives.

Doug says NO. Cat and dog excretia do not belong in ...

Covering the compost pile  Can I cover my compost hill (which is about 6 feet from the patio deck) with black plastic. I have been told that it can spontaneously combust and cause ...

evergreen compost very hot  i shredded branches from leylandi trees put them in a pile which now seems to be steaming is this normal? or will it ignite?

Doug says a "hot" compost ...

Composting Evergreen Needles  I'm starting a compost pile. I have about 15 "long needle" pine trees that drop a lot of needles. Can I add them to the compost pile just like leaves?...

moldy wet compost?  If the green materials from my kitchen mold before I get them into the compost is that ok?
Thanks!

Doug says yes, they'll be fine to add to the compost....

KIS Compost Tea Brewer in Canada  I was wondering if there is a Canadian supplier of this product?

Doug says not that I'm aware of - mine came from the US but if there is - I'm sure ...

lovely compost draining away  Dear Doug,
I have built several raised beds (18" deep, each box about 4'x8') in our asphalt-covered driveway. It's south-facing (the only bit of the garden ...

Worm Composting Naturally  How did red worms ever get to be so highly regarded? Supposedly they reproduce faster than other worms. But what good are they if you have to keep adding ...

compost quantity  I have a 3-bin system, and turn the compost twice a year. The stuff is great, but pitifully inadequate in volume for the gardens I have. Everything goes ...

Fish Emulsion Alternative  I live in an area highly populated with bears and am worried that if I use fish emulsion in my vegetable garden the aroma may invite a lot of company digging ...

compost in sun  Does the compost bin need to be in the sun ?

Doug says it helps but isn't necessary. Sunshine is one way to help keep the compost warm and working while ...

Need advice on renewing soil  My semi-formal flower garden has been ignored the past several years due to a heavy work load; but I retired this past year and look forward to renewing ...

Composting Maple Leaves with Black Spot  Hi,
In your last newsletter you wrote about the benefits of composting leaves. I have access to a lot of leaves in my area but many of the leaves are ...

Wood Compost  I have a lot of rich compost from the top layers from a woods that is being worked on. My plants are already put into the ground. Could I put compost ...

Is there a smell with this?  If you compost , does it stink?

Every summer my neighbour does this compost thing, and wow does it ever sink, so much that I can not open my bedroom ...

compost tea in late fall  Should compost tea be brewed and sprayed on the garden until freeze-up in the fall?

Doug says that in practical terms, I don't. When the garden starts ...

turning the compost  If the compost is 4x4x4 in size do you turn this over and if you do how do you do this. It seems like a lot of work to me.

Doug says it is a lot of ...

Compost Pile Not Heating Up  Hi
If you have a compost box and put garden waste in it over a period of time, how do you get it to heat up. I am a member of a community garden. We have ...

woodchips  I just had 2 tree stumps ground, maple and box elder. The woodchips are pretty chopped up and do contain some soil I was told I could not use these on ...

mushrooms growing in my composter  should I take out mushrooms that have started growing in my composter

Doug says you obviously don't have a fast or hot compost going there. :-) Take ...

Seaweeds  I live on Miscou Island N.B.we have a lot of Seaweeds
how can I make compost with this
Thanks
Lincoln

Doug says - treat it like any other green matter....