I usually buy the best I can afford, Searles comes to mind. However I have noticed a tendency of these mixes, both in the pots and as no-dig layers in the garden, to become water repellent if allowed to dry out.

There’s no point in watering something if you don’t want it watered (e.g. overwintering caladium bulbs, vegetable garden that’s resting) but surely if you start watering it again it should, if it’s any good, start soaking up the water again.

What is the story, and is this why Longy puts that coconut fibre stuff in his potting mixes?

Dinetta said:

I usually buy the best I can afford, Searles comes to mind. However I have noticed a tendency of these mixes, both in the pots and as no-dig layers in the garden, to become water repellent if allowed to dry out.

There’s no point in watering something if you don’t want it watered (e.g. overwintering caladium bulbs, vegetable garden that’s resting) but surely if you start watering it again it should, if it’s any good, start soaking up the water again.

What is the story, and is this why Longy puts that coconut fibre stuff in his potting mixes?

even coir or coconut fibre will dry out. If you are to have pots that need to have no water over winter, then this normally tends towards the cactusy plants and their soil preference is for more gravel and sand in the mix. I like Searles, I have some at the moment and it looks not too bad.

The best method for things that have dried completely is the submerged trick.

And do you need to use potting mix in your vegie beds, or is this just where the old stuff gets tossed?

pain master said:

even coir or coconut fibre will dry out. If you are to have pots that need to have no water over winter, then this normally tends towards the cactusy plants and their soil preference is for more gravel and sand in the mix. I like Searles, I have some at the moment and it looks not too bad.

The best method for things that have dried completely is the submerged trick.

And do you need to use potting mix in your vegie beds, or is this just where the old stuff gets tossed?

Thanks PM, with the bagged stuff for the vegetable beds, I was referring to the bags of chicken manure, mushroom compost and general bags of compost…all good quality with the right ticks…mind you the horse manure and cow manure need to be watered as well, but their exteriors do start to soak up the water when watered, unlike the bagged mixes which apparently refuse to absorb even around their edges…

the “old stuff” goes into the compost bin, I figure if there’s anything wrong with it the composting process will sort it out…

With the garden bed, I added 2 barrow loads of the local self-mulching cracking black clay, this just loves extra organics…it amounted to 2 very thin layers of soil about 5 “organic” layers apart, if you get my drift, and I think this is what is helping the garden bed absorb and hold the water…however you wouldn’t put this stuff in pots, it would go gluggy…for the pots, I have tried some nice clay loam that MrD bought for me one time, it’s in a pile in the yard, I add this clay loam to the potting mixes and it works quite well, so I might do that (plus some coir) with all the potting mixes from now on…even the vege bagged mix refuses to take up water after a while…

Part of the problem is the pots that are a bit too big or an awkward size for submerging…they weight so much when full…and even then the mix often just floats…

Have just repotted my caladiums…their little shoots are so cute! Like little antennae…“how’s it going up there? can I come out now?” Of course in TownTown they never go dormant…and I do know of some with a nice sunny shelted corner in town here, who can also grow them year round…

I know little, but what I do know …

..any soil in pots is a no no. It will turn to concrete and draw moisture out of the mix. stops pot drainage too.

.. because some plants need less watering over winter.. it doesn’t mean they require none. Keep moist anyway, but water less often.

.. a big handful of clean river sand added to potting mixes helps to keep the mix from becoming water repellant. It’s what potting mixes are missing.

…when all else fails and some lovely moist compost isn’t on hand, a drop of detergent in a full watering can will help re wet a dry mix.

Happy Potter said:

I know little, but what I do know …

..any soil in pots is a no no. It will turn to concrete and draw moisture out of the mix. stops pot drainage too.

.. because some plants need less watering over winter.. it doesn’t mean they require none. Keep moist anyway, but water less often.

.. a big handful of clean river sand added to potting mixes helps to keep the mix from becoming water repellant. It’s what potting mixes are missing.

…when all else fails and some lovely moist compost isn’t on hand, a drop of detergent in a full watering can will help re wet a dry mix.

oh thought to add,, if a plant requires complete dryness over winter, like some bulbs, then lift out of the pot and store it, then re pot for the growing season.

any organic material will become water repellent if allowed to dry out. Pots too large to submerge in a container can have their drainage holes plugged temporarily and the pot filled with water until the mix soaked again. Don’t forget to remove the plugs! Wetting agents are available in various forms. If you don’t want to use a detergent I have heard that Agar Agar powder will act as a wetting agent although I have not tried this myself. Commercial organic and non-organic wetting agents can be found at hardware shops or nurseries. Not to be confused with water retaining crystals.

Thanks to Happy Potter and BlueGreen for their input…

however my question was about the commercial organic mixes. I never had a problem with a potting mix made locally (sadly not any more) – she included sandy loam I think…my mother and the ladies in my home town grew their ferns etc in local soil poured into the pots…many of them kero or bulk flour drums cut in half with drainage created by a couple of blows with the axe…lush growth all round (no fertilizer either), maiden hair ferns (usually native) and coleus, begonia, parsley, mint…others I can’t think of… and nearly all homes had a “king fern” (local term) showpiece at the front door…these were often in 44 gallon drums cut in half with the axe-created drainage holes…it was news to me when I started my own pots and found out about potting “mixes”…

Putting a plug in a big pot (assuming one drainage hole) is a good tip, thanks BlueGreen…I’m not at all interested in water crystals or water wetting agents, sorry…

The other thing I’ve noticed, is the horse manure, if allowed to bake in the sun and dry out, will seal itself off and become water repellent too…not soak the water into its outer layer…this might be a question for Scribbly or SSSF….

Dinetta said:

Part of the problem is the pots that are a bit too big or an awkward size for submerging…they weight so much when full…and even then the mix often just floats…

Yep, I know several of my pots could do with submerging but I cannot for the life of me work out how I could do it.

Doesn’t help that one tuff tub has disappeared, and the other has developed large cracks. Is there a better kind of big plastic tub I could add to my xmas wish list?? (sorry to hijack :))

bluegreen said:

any organic material will become water repellent if allowed to dry out. Pots too large to submerge in a container can have their drainage holes plugged temporarily and the pot filled with water until the mix soaked again. Don’t forget to remove the plugs! Wetting agents are available in various forms. If you don’t want to use a detergent I have heard that Agar Agar powder will act as a wetting agent although I have not tried this myself. Commercial organic and non-organic wetting agents can be found at hardware shops or nurseries. Not to be confused with water retaining crystals.

Hmm, I would still need an extra person to tilt the pot so I could plug the holes.

Interesting! We have a bag of agar agar in the kitchen which has been sitting doing nothing for quite some time..

No hijack…relevant in view of some of the suggestions…I bought a beauty from the produce store…it is very hard plastic and my guess is 30 litres, with a handle …my other one is half a blue plastic barrel of something…must ask MrD what…now that is 60 litres…tough as (Puta swims in it, kinda!) and it came with a couple of 44 gallon drums (the folk up the hill had sold and were moving)…I think my Tuff Tubs were anything but…

bon008 said:

Interesting! We have a bag of agar agar in the kitchen which has been sitting doing nothing for quite some time..

I think you mix it with water first to make a slurry.

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

Interesting! We have a bag of agar agar in the kitchen which has been sitting doing nothing for quite some time..

I think you mix it with water first to make a slurry.

Thanks BG. That’s like a two birds with one stone experiment – on the one hand, it may help the garden, but it would also be an act of cleaning in the kitchen :D I’m getting quite ruthless in the pantry.. old stuff is being kicked out left right and centre.

I know several of my pots could do with submerging but I cannot for the life of me work out how I could do it.
+++++++++
If you don’t have a tub big enough to submerge them, Get a plastic bag big enough to put the pot into and just fill the pot up. It’ll run out the holes but will fill the bag and become submerged.

Longy said:

I know several of my pots could do with submerging but I cannot for the life of me work out how I could do it.
+++++++++
If you don’t have a tub big enough to submerge them, Get a plastic bag big enough to put the pot into and just fill the pot up. It’ll run out the holes but will fill the bag and become submerged.

Very good!

I am going to ask on SSSF, just as soon as I get my ABC Forums ID back…

Have read a few of GloWorm’s posts over there, the lady is a national treasure…

Longy said:

I know several of my pots could do with submerging but I cannot for the life of me work out how I could do it.
+++++++++
If you don’t have a tub big enough to submerge them, Get a plastic bag big enough to put the pot into and just fill the pot up. It’ll run out the holes but will fill the bag and become submerged.

The pots are too heavy for me to lift.. I may be able to tilt enough to get a bag under, but I think it would be too dangerous – too much risk of dropping them on my toes or tipping them over entirely.

bon008 said:

Longy said:

I know several of my pots could do with submerging but I cannot for the life of me work out how I could do it.
+++++++++
If you don’t have a tub big enough to submerge them, Get a plastic bag big enough to put the pot into and just fill the pot up. It’ll run out the holes but will fill the bag and become submerged.

The pots are too heavy for me to lift.. I may be able to tilt enough to get a bag under, but I think it would be too dangerous – too much risk of dropping them on my toes or tipping them over entirely.

some jobs require more than one person. there are several dead pines out the front of my place and i just couldn’t safely drop them myself so i have to wait for help.

a huge pot requires several helping hands to repot.
if you do repot you might consider ‘calcium bentonite’ (aka Munns ‘better lawn and garden’).
i have added it to all my potting mixes and it does allow you to go without watering for several days.
i don’t know that it prevents soil from drying out or if it helps rewetting of dry soil – but i suspect it does both.

pepe said:

if you do repot you might consider ‘calcium bentonite’ (aka Munns ‘better lawn and garden’).
i have added it to all my potting mixes and it does allow you to go without watering for several days.
i don’t know that it prevents soil from drying out or if it helps rewetting of dry soil – but i suspect it does both.

Sounds good, Aquarium was a fan of bentonite as an additive for soil retention…

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

if you do repot you might consider ‘calcium bentonite’ (aka Munns ‘better lawn and garden’).
i have added it to all my potting mixes and it does allow you to go without watering for several days.
i don’t know that it prevents soil from drying out or if it helps rewetting of dry soil – but i suspect it does both.

Sounds good, Aquarium was a fan of bentonite as an additive for soil retention…

correction – that name is – Munns ‘weta-lawn and garden’ – (stupid name – just call it bentonite).

bon008 said:

Longy said:

I know several of my pots could do with submerging but I cannot for the life of me work out how I could do it.
+++++++++
If you don’t have a tub big enough to submerge them, Get a plastic bag big enough to put the pot into and just fill the pot up. It’ll run out the holes but will fill the bag and become submerged.

The pots are too heavy for me to lift.. I may be able to tilt enough to get a bag under, but I think it would be too dangerous – too much risk of dropping them on my toes or tipping them over entirely.

Hmm.
OK. Tilt the pot.
Slide a piece of polystyrene under it. Bust up a broccoli box or something.
Wiggle the pot so the styrene is completely under the pot. This will seal the drain holes off.
Put the hose in and let it fill the pot to saturation point. You may need to drip it in slow to get the soil saturated.

Longy said:

bon008 said:

Longy said:

I know several of my pots could do with submerging but I cannot for the life of me work out how I could do it.
+++++++++
If you don’t have a tub big enough to submerge them, Get a plastic bag big enough to put the pot into and just fill the pot up. It’ll run out the holes but will fill the bag and become submerged.

The pots are too heavy for me to lift.. I may be able to tilt enough to get a bag under, but I think it would be too dangerous – too much risk of dropping them on my toes or tipping them over entirely.

Hmm.
OK. Tilt the pot.
Slide a piece of polystyrene under it. Bust up a broccoli box or something.
Wiggle the pot so the styrene is completely under the pot. This will seal the drain holes off.
Put the hose in and let it fill the pot to saturation point. You may need to drip it in slow to get the soil saturated.

Brilliant!! Thanks Longy, that I could manage! :)

Brilliant!! Thanks Longy, that I could manage! :)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You say ‘Brilliant’ as if surprised.
tsk tsk. ;-)

I have finally managed to finish turning in my green manure crop, am pleased to report that where I had turned over the other day is wetting up nicely due to the rain we have had, but it’s not sodden…

Good thing I used the fork tonight and not the spade, as I unearthed several burrowing frogs (they look like toads but have salmon stripes down their backs) …they are now sheltering in the long green panic beside the bed…

Good thing I used the fork tonight and not the spade, as I unearthed several burrowing frogs (they look like toads but have salmon stripes down their backs) …they are now sheltering in the long green panic beside the bed…

+++++++++++++++ :-)

Dinetta said:

I have finally managed to finish turning in my green manure crop, am pleased to report that where I had turned over the other day is wetting up nicely due to the rain we have had, but it’s not sodden…

Good thing I used the fork tonight and not the spade, as I unearthed several burrowing frogs (they look like toads but have salmon stripes down their backs) …they are now sheltering in the long green panic beside the bed…

Have they got the same colour on their forearms?

pain master said:

Dinetta said:

I have finally managed to finish turning in my green manure crop, am pleased to report that where I had turned over the other day is wetting up nicely due to the rain we have had, but it’s not sodden…

Good thing I used the fork tonight and not the spade, as I unearthed several burrowing frogs (they look like toads but have salmon stripes down their backs) …they are now sheltering in the long green panic beside the bed…

Have they got the same colour on their forearms?

I’ll pick one up and look, next time…

Dinetta said:

pain master said:

Dinetta said:

I have finally managed to finish turning in my green manure crop, am pleased to report that where I had turned over the other day is wetting up nicely due to the rain we have had, but it’s not sodden…

Good thing I used the fork tonight and not the spade, as I unearthed several burrowing frogs (they look like toads but have salmon stripes down their backs) …they are now sheltering in the long green panic beside the bed…

Have they got the same colour on their forearms?

I’ll pick one up and look, next time…

sound like banjo frogs?

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

pain master said:

Have they got the same colour on their forearms?

I’ll pick one up and look, next time…

sound like banjo frogs?

I’m thinking Pobblebonk.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

pain master said:

Have they got the same colour on their forearms?

I’ll pick one up and look, next time…

sound like banjo frogs?

With the salmon markings? Sometimes they’re all salmon with the dark grey or dark brown markings instead…

pain master said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

I’ll pick one up and look, next time…

sound like banjo frogs?

I’m thinking Pobblebonk.

They are burrowing amphibians, may belong to the pobblebonk catergory…

Dinetta said:

pain master said:

roughbarked said:

sound like banjo frogs?

I’m thinking Pobblebonk.

They are burrowing amphibians, may belong to the pobblebonk catergory…

More specifically I’m thinking Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk which have some lightish pink/purple striping…

I’ve had a look at some descriptions and pictures, and these are not scarlet sided pobblebonks…the salmon stripe could be peach and it’s definitely down the back, parallel to the spine…

Had a look at the bed this morning and uprooted a couple of plants that missed turning over…don’t want any unwelcome seeds getting a go on here…the soil is nice and moist now…thought I might have overdone the Seamungus the other night but the soil smells good and thanks to the rain, the Seamungus is all melted in…have lined MrD up to buy me another bucket as he is going to Rocky tomorrow and I can’t buy it here at Mitre10…

This is so eggsiting, I’m planning the vegetables again…tomatoes, aubergine, capsicum….herbs of sweet and thai basil, sage, rosemary (again!), lemon thyme, might try parsley in the bed again, and figure out a shadecloth for the lot…

Dinetta said:

This is so eggsiting, I’m planning the vegetables again…tomatoes, aubergine, capsicum….herbs of sweet and thai basil, sage, rosemary (again!), lemon thyme, might try parsley in the bed again, and figure out a shadecloth for the lot…

glad to hear the eggsitement is back :)

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

This is so eggsiting, I’m planning the vegetables again…tomatoes, aubergine, capsicum….herbs of sweet and thai basil, sage, rosemary (again!), lemon thyme, might try parsley in the bed again, and figure out a shadecloth for the lot…

glad to hear the eggsitement is back :)

Me too….:D

Dinetta said:

I’ve had a look at some descriptions and pictures, and these are not scarlet sided pobblebonks…the salmon stripe could be peach and it’s definitely down the back, parallel to the spine…

I think a photo is required.

pain master said:

I think a photo is required.

yep

frogs do differ by location.. but not necessarily by species

pain master said:

Dinetta said:

I’ve had a look at some descriptions and pictures, and these are not scarlet sided pobblebonks…the salmon stripe could be peach and it’s definitely down the back, parallel to the spine…

I think a photo is required.

They’re hard to find, I was surprised to see so many (about 4) when turning the green manure over…sometimes they come into the lounge room….but I’ll keep an eye out…will a phone photo be OK?

Dinetta said:

pain master said:

Dinetta said:

I’ve had a look at some descriptions and pictures, and these are not scarlet sided pobblebonks…the salmon stripe could be peach and it’s definitely down the back, parallel to the spine…

I think a photo is required.

They’re hard to find, I was surprised to see so many (about 4) when turning the green manure over…sometimes they come into the lounge room….but I’ll keep an eye out…will a phone photo be OK?

phone photo is ok.

I read in the book, “The Godfather” (never read it before!) that the old man had a barrel of cow manure soaking in water…MrD’s grandfather had something like this too, a 44 gal drum with a tap…liquid fertilizer…must be old news to the rest of you but is this a good idea?

Dinetta said:

I read in the book, “The Godfather” (never read it before!) that the old man had a barrel of cow manure soaking in water…MrD’s grandfather had something like this too, a 44 gal drum with a tap…liquid fertilizer…must be old news to the rest of you but is this a good idea?

Good but smelly.

Dinetta said:

I read in the book, “The Godfather” (never read it before!) that the old man had a barrel of cow manure soaking in water…MrD’s grandfather had something like this too, a 44 gal drum with a tap…liquid fertilizer…must be old news to the rest of you but is this a good idea?

Pepe runs a smaller scale pigeon manure set-up. Sounds like a dandy of an idea.

pain master said:

Dinetta said:

I read in the book, “The Godfather” (never read it before!) that the old man had a barrel of cow manure soaking in water…MrD’s grandfather had something like this too, a 44 gal drum with a tap…liquid fertilizer…must be old news to the rest of you but is this a good idea?

Pepe runs a smaller scale pigeon manure set-up. Sounds like a dandy of an idea.

I have pigeon poo. What does he do with it exactly PM?

Longy said:

pain master said:

Dinetta said:

I read in the book, “The Godfather” (never read it before!) that the old man had a barrel of cow manure soaking in water…MrD’s grandfather had something like this too, a 44 gal drum with a tap…liquid fertilizer…must be old news to the rest of you but is this a good idea?

Pepe runs a smaller scale pigeon manure set-up. Sounds like a dandy of an idea.

I have pigeon poo. What does he do with it exactly PM?

I think, if I remember right, Pepe puts their droppings in a bag and suspends it in water = pidgeon manure tea.

Happy Potter said:

Longy said:

pain master said:

Pepe runs a smaller scale pigeon manure set-up. Sounds like a dandy of an idea.

I have pigeon poo. What does he do with it exactly PM?

I think, if I remember right, Pepe puts their droppings in a bag and suspends it in water = pidgeon manure tea.

OK. Be a strong brew. I use mine in compost to heat it up.
Great stuff.

Longy said:

pain master said:

Dinetta said:

I read in the book, “The Godfather” (never read it before!) that the old man had a barrel of cow manure soaking in water…MrD’s grandfather had something like this too, a 44 gal drum with a tap…liquid fertilizer…must be old news to the rest of you but is this a good idea?

Pepe runs a smaller scale pigeon manure set-up. Sounds like a dandy of an idea.

I have pigeon poo. What does he do with it exactly PM?

I’m sure pepe will give you the gory details later, but I am pretty sure he places the Pigeon Poo in a receptacle that has holes punched in the bottom, and then fills the container up with water, places in strategic locations around his vegie beds, and lets the water dribble out slowly taking a bit of the poo with it. An easy way to not burn your plants with raw pigeon poo and a slow release way of doing it….

Longy said:

pain master said:

Dinetta said:

I read in the book, “The Godfather” (never read it before!) that the old man had a barrel of cow manure soaking in water…MrD’s grandfather had something like this too, a 44 gal drum with a tap…liquid fertilizer…must be old news to the rest of you but is this a good idea?

Pepe runs a smaller scale pigeon manure set-up. Sounds like a dandy of an idea.

I have pigeon poo. What does he do with it exactly PM?

I think he has some in plasic containers, with holes punched in the bottom, scattered around his veg patch and fills them with water whenever he hoses.

Happy Potter said:

Longy said:

pain master said:

Pepe runs a smaller scale pigeon manure set-up. Sounds like a dandy of an idea.

I have pigeon poo. What does he do with it exactly PM?

I think, if I remember right, Pepe puts their droppings in a bag and suspends it in water = pidgeon manure tea.

Pepe who’s right? lol

pain master said:

Longy said:

pain master said:

Pepe runs a smaller scale pigeon manure set-up. Sounds like a dandy of an idea.

I have pigeon poo. What does he do with it exactly PM?

I’m sure pepe will give you the gory details later, but I am pretty sure he places the Pigeon Poo in a receptacle that has holes punched in the bottom, and then fills the container up with water, places in strategic locations around his vegie beds, and lets the water dribble out slowly taking a bit of the poo with it. An easy way to not burn your plants with raw pigeon poo and a slow release way of doing it….

YES!!!! I win. lol

bubba louie said:

Happy Potter said:

Longy said:

I have pigeon poo. What does he do with it exactly PM?

I think, if I remember right, Pepe puts their droppings in a bag and suspends it in water = pidgeon manure tea.

Pepe who’s right? lol

Dunno but its good shit (pardon the pun) I trade that for worm wee ….

bubba louie said:

pain master said:

Longy said:

I have pigeon poo. What does he do with it exactly PM?

I’m sure pepe will give you the gory details later, but I am pretty sure he places the Pigeon Poo in a receptacle that has holes punched in the bottom, and then fills the container up with water, places in strategic locations around his vegie beds, and lets the water dribble out slowly taking a bit of the poo with it. An easy way to not burn your plants with raw pigeon poo and a slow release way of doing it….

YES!!!! I win. lol

the PM did inspire me to have used feta cheese buckets as receptacles with holes in the bottom, that i fill with pigeon poo and then fill with water that drains slowly onto a favoured plant. they’re called PM dispensers in his honour LOL.

i have always filled a rubbish bin with pigeon poo and then filled it with water. after stirring the mix for 2 weeks i then strain and finely sieve the liquid into bottles of liquid manure. these i dillute and pour onto heavy feeding plants such as corn, spuds, brassicas etc. the concentrated sludge at the bottom of the bin goes onto the compost heap.

i do use the p.poo direct by digging large holes, partially filling with p.poo, backfilling with soil and then planting celery, corn or tomatoes in the hole.

pepe said:

bubba louie said:

pain master said:

I’m sure pepe will give you the gory details later, but I am pretty sure he places the Pigeon Poo in a receptacle that has holes punched in the bottom, and then fills the container up with water, places in strategic locations around his vegie beds, and lets the water dribble out slowly taking a bit of the poo with it. An easy way to not burn your plants with raw pigeon poo and a slow release way of doing it….

YES!!!! I win. lol

the PM did inspire me to have used feta cheese buckets as receptacles with holes in the bottom, that i fill with pigeon poo and then fill with water that drains slowly onto a favoured plant. they’re called PM dispensers in his honour LOL.

i have always filled a rubbish bin with pigeon poo and then filled it with water. after stirring the mix for 2 weeks i then strain and finely sieve the liquid into bottles of liquid manure. these i dillute and pour onto heavy feeding plants such as corn, spuds, brassicas etc. the concentrated sludge at the bottom of the bin goes onto the compost heap.

i do use the p.poo direct by digging large holes, partially filling with p.poo, backfilling with soil and then planting celery, corn or tomatoes in the hole.

OI!! We were both rght!! LOL

I do remember Pepe, you saying you were taking bottles of p’poo to Luckys..

pepe said:

bubba louie said:

pain master said:

I’m sure pepe will give you the gory details later, but I am pretty sure he places the Pigeon Poo in a receptacle that has holes punched in the bottom, and then fills the container up with water, places in strategic locations around his vegie beds, and lets the water dribble out slowly taking a bit of the poo with it. An easy way to not burn your plants with raw pigeon poo and a slow release way of doing it….

YES!!!! I win. lol

the PM did inspire me to have used feta cheese buckets as receptacles with holes in the bottom, that i fill with pigeon poo and then fill with water that drains slowly onto a favoured plant. they’re called PM dispensers in his honour LOL.

i have always filled a rubbish bin with pigeon poo and then filled it with water. after stirring the mix for 2 weeks i then strain and finely sieve the liquid into bottles of liquid manure. these i dillute and pour onto heavy feeding plants such as corn, spuds, brassicas etc. the concentrated sludge at the bottom of the bin goes onto the compost heap.

i do use the p.poo direct by digging large holes, partially filling with p.poo, backfilling with soil and then planting celery, corn or tomatoes in the hole.

Thanks very much for your input, Pepe…you explain it so much more clearly than the organic gardening books…

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

bubba louie said:

YES!!!! I win. lol

the PM did inspire me to have used feta cheese buckets as receptacles with holes in the bottom, that i fill with pigeon poo and then fill with water that drains slowly onto a favoured plant. they’re called PM dispensers in his honour LOL.

i have always filled a rubbish bin with pigeon poo and then filled it with water. after stirring the mix for 2 weeks i then strain and finely sieve the liquid into bottles of liquid manure. these i dillute and pour onto heavy feeding plants such as corn, spuds, brassicas etc. the concentrated sludge at the bottom of the bin goes onto the compost heap.

i do use the p.poo direct by digging large holes, partially filling with p.poo, backfilling with soil and then planting celery, corn or tomatoes in the hole.

Thanks very much for your input, Pepe…you explain it so much more clearly than the organic gardening books…

If you can’t find enough pigeon poo, dynamic lifter works the same way, soak it in a bucket.

roughbarked said:

If you can’t find enough pigeon poo, dynamic lifter works the same way, soak it in a bucket.

Thanks RoughBarked, but my original question was about moo poo and 44 gallon drums…

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

If you can’t find enough pigeon poo, dynamic lifter works the same way, soak it in a bucket.

Thanks RoughBarked, but my original question was about moo poo and 44 gallon drums…

Well I always have had a 44 gal drum with whatever poo I could get my hands on, not being an animal keeper. The 44 gal drums have a habit of rusting out. I m now using those large plastic drums the like of which are shown cut up to make big pots and raised garden beds in the tropical part of gardening Australia.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

If you can’t find enough pigeon poo, dynamic lifter works the same way, soak it in a bucket.

Thanks RoughBarked, but my original question was about moo poo and 44 gallon drums…

Well I always have had a 44 gal drum with whatever poo I could get my hands on, not being an animal keeper. The 44 gal drums have a habit of rusting out. I m now using those large plastic drums the like of which are shown cut up to make big pots and raised garden beds in the tropical part of gardening Australia.

RoughBarked, are you able to supply a picture, please? If RoughBarked can’t, does anybody else know how to put up a picture of what he means, please?

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Thanks RoughBarked, but my original question was about moo poo and 44 gallon drums…

Well I always have had a 44 gal drum with whatever poo I could get my hands on, not being an animal keeper. The 44 gal drums have a habit of rusting out. I m now using those large plastic drums the like of which are shown cut up to make big pots and raised garden beds in the tropical part of gardening Australia.

RoughBarked, are you able to supply a picture, please? If RoughBarked can’t, does anybody else know how to put up a picture of what he means, please?

The container doesn’t really matter. I’d use a plastic bin with a lid to keep the wrigglers out.

bubba louie said:

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Well I always have had a 44 gal drum with whatever poo I could get my hands on, not being an animal keeper. The 44 gal drums have a habit of rusting out. I m now using those large plastic drums the like of which are shown cut up to make big pots and raised garden beds in the tropical part of gardening Australia.

RoughBarked, are you able to supply a picture, please? If RoughBarked can’t, does anybody else know how to put up a picture of what he means, please?

The container doesn’t really matter. I’d use a plastic bin with a lid to keep the wrigglers out.

Well I’m in the market for a nappy bucket type affair, for soaking the worksocks and such…more to keep the frogs out than anything…it breaks my heart to find a blue, swollen and very dead frog in the mop bucket (with floor cleaner in it) or the laundry tub with washing soda, etc…so I might as well search out a manure bucket as well…what’s the advantage of 44 gallon over the 25 litre?

pepe said:

bubba louie said:

pain master said:

I’m sure pepe will give you the gory details later, but I am pretty sure he places the Pigeon Poo in a receptacle that has holes punched in the bottom, and then fills the container up with water, places in strategic locations around his vegie beds, and lets the water dribble out slowly taking a bit of the poo with it. An easy way to not burn your plants with raw pigeon poo and a slow release way of doing it….

YES!!!! I win. lol

the PM did inspire me to have used feta cheese buckets as receptacles with holes in the bottom, that i fill with pigeon poo and then fill with water that drains slowly onto a favoured plant. they’re called PM dispensers in his honour LOL.

i have always filled a rubbish bin with pigeon poo and then filled it with water. after stirring the mix for 2 weeks i then strain and finely sieve the liquid into bottles of liquid manure. these i dillute and pour onto heavy feeding plants such as corn, spuds, brassicas etc. the concentrated sludge at the bottom of the bin goes onto the compost heap.

i do use the p.poo direct by digging large holes, partially filling with p.poo, backfilling with soil and then planting celery, corn or tomatoes in the hole.

my original inspiration came from a friend of mine who lived in a wee town (now Suburb) of Adelaide called Gawler, and we would often ride our bikes around the town (and bypass) and would often go “bouldering” on some of the many limestone and sandstone (some would say greenstone or even bluestone) bridges in Gawler. The we would sit back at his place, drink some home-brew and yak about his garden. We never achieved much but we did collect some pigeon poo and place this in the buckets….

Dinetta said:

bubba louie said:

Dinetta said:

RoughBarked, are you able to supply a picture, please? If RoughBarked can’t, does anybody else know how to put up a picture of what he means, please?

The container doesn’t really matter. I’d use a plastic bin with a lid to keep the wrigglers out.

Well I’m in the market for a nappy bucket type affair, for soaking the worksocks and such…more to keep the frogs out than anything…it breaks my heart to find a blue, swollen and very dead frog in the mop bucket (with floor cleaner in it) or the laundry tub with washing soda, etc…so I might as well search out a manure bucket as well…what’s the advantage of 44 gallon over the 25 litre?

It just makes more, I imagine.

images.. well google plastic wine vat or anything like that which comes into your head.. it is basically a 100 litre or there abouts plastic 44 gal drum size container. Why something that size? I can get heaps of them from wineries and juice factories. ie: many would come with Sodium metabisulphate in them or say orange juice concentrate from Brazil.

roughbarked said:

images.. well google plastic wine vat or anything like that which comes into your head.. it is basically a 100 litre or there abouts plastic 44 gal drum size container. Why something that size? I can get heaps of them from wineries and juice factories. ie: many would come with Sodium metabisulphate in them or say orange juice concentrate from Brazil.

Ok, thanks RoughBarked, I just thought it might have something to do with the dilution rates, is all… :)