Today is Day 15 of our 30 days of homesteading Q&A on the podcast where I have reached out to some of the best bloggers and podcasters in the homesteading space to answer your questions about homesteading.
Today’s question is “Do you have any suggestions on where to get free resources for the garden like mulch, compost, or soil that would be chemical-free and safe?” Answering today’s question is David The Good from TheSurvivalGardener.com
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How to Find Free Garden Amendments
Gardening is such a wonderful way to grow your own food, but it can get expensive! That’s why it’s great to know there are ways to find free mulch, compost, and soil that are both safe and chemical-free. There’s nothing better than knowing the materials you use to grow your food are clean and healthy. Let’s dive into some easy, safe, and budget-friendly ways to get free gardening materials!
Be Careful Where You Get Your Manure!
It might seem like a good idea to use free manure from local farms, but there’s a big thing to watch out for: hidden chemicals. David the Good, a gardening expert, shared a story about using cow manure from a local farm, only to discover that it was contaminated with a chemical called aminopyralid.
This herbicide, used to kill weeds in hay and pasture fields, can stick around in manure for a long time and destroy your plants—even years later! This chemical can make your garden look twisted and unhealthy, affecting everything from tomatoes to trees.
So, before using manure, always ask farmers what the animals have been eating. If they’ve been fed hay from fields sprayed with chemicals like aminopyralid, that manure could end up ruining your garden.
Be Wary of Bought Compost
You might think store-bought compost is always safe, but it can also have hidden dangers. Some compost comes from places that use biosolids, which are another word for treated sewage. While recycling human waste sounds like a good idea, city sewage can contain all kinds of harmful stuff, like industrial waste or even chemicals like arsenic. That’s not something you want in your garden! Always check what’s in the compost before you buy it.
Free Mulch from Local Tree Services
One of the best places to find free mulch is from local tree companies or city workers trimming trees around power lines. They often shred branches and leaves into mulch and are happy to give it away instead of dumping it somewhere. This tree mulch is a great, natural way to feed your soil without worrying about harmful chemicals. Plus, it’s completely free!
If you see workers trimming trees in your neighborhood, just ask if they can drop off a load of mulch at your house. If they’re not already offering it for free, a small tip, like $20, can usually get you a big pile of mulch delivered right to your yard!
Grow Your Own Compost
If you’re looking for an even more natural way to feed your garden, why not grow your own compost? You can plant cover crops like peas, beans, or clover, which are often called “green manure.” These plants help add nutrients to your soil and can be tilled right back into the ground after they grow. David suggests grabbing seeds from a bulk food store, which can be a lot cheaper than buying seed packets.
Another cool trick is planting nitrogen-fixing trees or fast-growing plants near your garden. These plants add nitrogen to the soil naturally, and every time you trim them, you can drop the cut branches around your garden to act as mulch. This technique, called “chop and drop,” helps build healthy soil over time. Plants like comfrey or perennial sunflowers are great for this!
- The Good, David (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 150 Pages – 04/28/2015 (Publication Date) – Castalia House (Publisher)
Last update on 2024-10-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Use Grass Clippings and Leaves
If you have friends or neighbors who don’t use chemicals on their lawns, their grass clippings and leaves can be a fantastic (and free!) resource for your garden. Grass clippings are full of nitrogen, which helps plants grow strong. In the fall, raked leaves can be mulched with a lawnmower and added to your garden beds, where they’ll break down and improve the soil.
Avoid Contaminated Straw and Hay
Straw and hay are often used as mulch in gardens, but like manure, they can be contaminated if they come from fields sprayed with herbicides. Even though straw seems harmless, it’s important to make sure the fields it came from weren’t treated with chemicals like aminopyralid. If you’re unsure, it’s better to avoid using straw or hay in your garden altogether.
Final Thoughts: Keep Your Garden Safe!
The key to a healthy, thriving garden is being careful about what you bring into it. While free materials like manure, mulch, and compost can be great, they can also introduce harmful chemicals into your garden if you’re not careful. Always ask questions and know where your materials are coming from.
By using free mulch from tree trimmers, growing your own compost, and using safe, natural resources, you can keep your garden chemical-free and your plants happy.
To find out more about David The Good check out his website and social media pages:
- Website: http://thesurvivalgardener.com
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/davidtgood
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC208478ECji1rdkDDbB0vHQ
- Get David’s book Compost Everything: The Good Guide to Extreme Composting
