Will sawdust work in a garden?

i only have one spot in my yard that gets enough sun for a garden- and the soil sucks. lots of gravel and the dirt is poor at best. i know i could dig it out and bring in a truckload of topsoil, but i'm curious about this other idea i had. i am a cabinet maker and have access to more sawdust than any garden could possibly need. i know fallen leaves tilled into the soil are good for gardens. whats the difference. right? not a quick fix, but if i do it regularly will things improve? any species i need to avoid?

Will sawdust work in a garden?
Yes, use it as is and supplement the nitrogen if necessary or use it in the compost pile. One other wood not to use besides treated and plywood etc. is walnut. Walnut contains jugalone a chemical that inhibits plant growth, natures Round-up. RScott
Reply:BEWARE%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;Do not use sawdust from plywoods,particle boards, etc....You are putting formaldhyde in your soil, and in your system if you are growing vegetables..also..too fine of saw dust will create a matt on the ground that will not evaporate correctly and you will create a growing field of funi and mold....Mixing some with the soil will help retain moisture..but too much will "mold you out" ..I used to grow potatoes in auto tires by digging in the ground about 2 feet to loosen the soil up..planting the potato eyes...then putting one tire over the hole and fill with sawdust..as the leaves came up above the first tire about 2 feet..I then add another tire and fill it up with sawdust..you can do this up to about 4 or 5 tires high before they want to topple....You then don't have to dig potatoes not need a large area..simply pull one tire off and harvest the potatoes in that tire..on and on...I got sawdust from a cabinet maker that used no particle boards or plywoods at all..only hardwoods..and not too fine of sawdust..get some with shavings work better..make sure to clean all the tires first with a bleach solution and let air dry a few days, due to fix a flat etc that people use in tires now days....Do not use any processed wood product shavings..Your poisoning yourself
Reply:Sawdust makes good compost. My parents used to get mulch from a large timber operation in Virginia.



http://vegweb.com/composting/



Wood products belong in the 'browns' category, because they are fairly low in nitrogen. Some sawdusts, especially from broadleaved/deciduous tress, will break down quickly in an active compost pile. Others, especially from coniferous trees, will take longer to decay. Stir sawdust thoroughly into the pile or use very thin layers. Coarse wood chips will very slowly decay, and are probably better used as mulch unless you have lots of time to wait. Be sure not to compost chips or sawdust from any sort of chemically-treated wood -- you could be adding toxics like arsenic to your pile if you do.



Sawdust is often available from constructions sites, friends, or your own building projects. If you are considering composting sawdust, be sure of the origin of the sawdust. Sawdust from chemically-treated wood products can be bad stuff to compost. For example, take pressure-treated wood (sometimes called CCA), which usually has a greenish tint to it (I have also seen it in other colors). It contains arsenic, a highly toxic element, as well as chromium and copper. There is evidence to suggest that arsenic is leached into the soil from these products when they are used to make compost bins or raised beds, so composting the sawdust would certainly be a mistake. You may wish to read the 'Letters' section of Organic Gardening, April 1994 and July/August 1992, for more information. Avoid other chemically-treated wood products and sawdust as well, such as wood treated with creosote or 'penta' preservative.
Reply:Usually sawdust can be used as a mulch. If you use too much, it can deplete nitrogen levels because of it's high carbon content.



I would recommend organic matter such as compost, manure, bone meal or leaf mold. Every year I use composted manure to keep my soil fertile. Any garden centre will carry manure, i.e., cow,sheep. Of course it has been composted, so it doesn't smell. It also works as a mulch in hot weather.

I found this very good website for you.
Reply:As long as it not pressure treated lumber than it would work great.



You might also consider making a separate compost pile with your grass clippings, leaves, coffee grounds, egg shells, all kinds of kitchen scraps, etc. to add to the garden soil. It really does work to improve your soil.



Good Luck to you !!! :)))
Reply:Soils are either Acidic or Alkaline. Depending on what you are growing depends on what you want to put in the soil. Wood chips and wood ashes will raise ph (reduce acid). You should also make sure if these are from a saw they aren't treated lumber as you will be adding arsenic and other harmful chemicals to your garden. I recommend you should pick up The Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Edward Smith. This book will tell you what type of soil you need for what kind of plants and exactly what to add. However, you will need to test the alkalinity or acidity with a PH tester from your home and garden center to know what needs adjusted. The main thing is just adding things in isn't always the best solution, you're just guessing at what the soil might need. However, keep up the organics, leaves and grass clippings are always good to build good soil.
Reply:Sawdust is too "hot" for plants. When things are first decomposing, they draw nitrogen from the soil. Sawdust is a small particle and breaks down quickly. If you are going to do this, I would build the area up with sawdust well in advance of planting so it will decompose to a point of being compost. Then it is nitrogen rich and will contribute to the soil. You can actually add fertilizer to speed the composting process.

Covering the poor soil with sawdust this winter will keep it moist and make it easier to till next spring. Nearly all plants like to be elevated for drainage sake, so build it up.
Reply:If you check the wreck on the Usenet this question has been answered a lot. But since your asking the answer is that some woods make great compost, some make OK compost and some is toxic.





check the Usenet for more details