Composts used at Posh Squash
We are very proud to say that all our chips and composts are made in the TSRA yard and provide a multitude of benefits to the garden. This utilizes a wonderful natural readily available free resource of material reducing the need and cost of purchasing any compost. TSRA provides us an unlimited free supply of compostable materials, and are delivered free.
All composts and woodchips provide great numbers of soil-enhancing microbes; the 4
composts are composed primarily of leaves & plant wastes; all add organic material to hold
soil moisture and preserve/enhance micronutrients in the soil, which feed the Web of Life (soil
microbes that produce the compounds that feed our crops). All are vital to the health of the
Garden; each is providing a slightly different set of benefits. All are materials that might
otherwise be placed in a landfill, so using them in a beneficial way lowers our carbon footprint
and recycles natural materials in a way that benefits the environment, as well as our garden.
1. Homemade Compost: Find in the bins behind the kitchen scrap bins, if a bin is ready
for the garden, it will have a hanging sign above it saying “READY”
a. Made in the bins by the Compost Team with shredded material provided by The
Thursday Team & kitchen scraps provided by Gardeners (& others)
b. To be used beneath other layers, as it does not get hot enough in the bins to kill
the seeds of the kitchen scraps or other seeds it may contain.
c. Utilizes our waste material to keep our environmental footprint small; most of the
‘cost’ is our labor.
2. Longterm Compost: Find the 2 piles below the end of the raspberry rows, (black plastic
may be covering one or both). One pile is being filled at a time, while the other is either
‘cooking’ the weeds and trimmings, or we are digging out and using the composted
contents. There is a sign to mark the area: “Longterm Compost”, and a sign posted on
each of the 2 piles: “1” & “2”, which will be noted on the chore list as well to indicate
which pile is currently accepting deposits- (being filled with weeds & garden debris);
which pile is currently finished & being returned to the beds. When a pile is securely
covered with black plastic it is ‘cooking’, and needs to be left alone. Heat and time are
producing our compost.
a. Weeds and Garden trimmings (those not desired by the Compost Team for the
Homemade Compost) are to go into the Longterm Compost; a significant amount
of topsoil attached to the roots of the weeds is also deposited here. Time and
heat from the micro-organisms that facilitate the decomposing process (plus extra
heat from the sun on the black plastic cover) kills insects & their eggs, weed seeds& rhizomes & most roots cuttings. No turning is needed, we allow a longer
timespan to let the microbes do the work. (Any sticks that are not decomposed
the first time are placed at the bottom of the pile to cook longer under the next
batch of weeds). (Exceptions: no Ivy or Periwinkle; no thorny material is to be
left there: ivy & periwinkle are very invasive and may not be killed in the
composting process, and thorny material is a hazard to the gardeners, both
during pile management and when returned to the garden, as thorns often
remain woody and sharp).
b. The Longterm Compost is our way to salvage all the topsoil lost from the beds and
paths in the weeding process. This soil was lost to us permanently previously,
when weeds were taken to the Haul-away Pile (Moveable Pile). We now recover
all of it, and return it to the beds enhanced with the organic content of the weeds
& grasses.
c. Long term Compost is to be used atop Homemade Compost, as it is heated
sufficiently in the LT pile to kill most of the weed seeds, and will prevent seeds in
the lower layers from germinating by keeping them well below the surface &
sunlight. It is the resource to use when adding depth to a bed, as it is part topsoil,
part composted organic material.
d. Longterm Compost contains larger chunks & pieces of twigs, dry grass, etc., which
give the soil pockets for air & water that are beneficial to roots & soil microbes,
helping sustain the them. These larger pieces continue to decompose in the beds,
feeding the soil for a longer time than small pieces allow.
3. F&R Compost:
Did you know we are making our own compost? TSRA now provides us an unlimited free supply of compost, and it is delivered free. We are refining the recipe and it will only get better from here on out as we observe how it performs in the field. Find it in the largest bin in the storage yard, kept covered with tarps to keep it damp but not wet. Often the signs that label the bins may be tarp-
covered, it can be visually identified as it is the only material that looks like planting mix
from a nursery: dark brown and crumbly. The other bins in the storage yard contain
wood chips (easy to ID the chips), or topsoil, which is 100% dirt and contains no finely-
ground plant material). Commercial Compost is made from chipped & ground wood &
plant wastes & other organic materials, and composted commercially to a high
temperature to kill all seeds and insects.
a. We use our F&R Compost as the top layer when prepping beds, it covers the
fertilizers & other composts and the topsoil. It acts as a barrier to prevent the
weed seeds in lower layers from germinating; holds moisture and nutrients, and
adds a significant amount of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate so we can use
less fertilizer.
b. The single 1” application annually is sufficient for the season.
4. Forest Compost
Forest Compost is the decomposed woodchips from TSRA tree work, composted by
TSRA for 15-20 years. Find in the bin to the right of the Wood Chip Bin in the storage
yard. We will begin this season to use it for all the uses within the beds we previous
had for the woodchips. (it will not be used for pathways.)
a. The original material is from the trees and branches that have been cut by F & R
on TSRA property. Originally, it was a blend of tree branches, trunks, and leaves
and needles that have decomposed for many.many years. It is dug from beneath
the mountain of woodchips stored near the Dog Park, and is free and delivered
free for our use. A mutual benefit arrangement.
b. We began receiving it late in the Fall of 2021, and have applied to several beds to
test it over the winter. It appears to be good at moisture-retention, combines
nicely with the soil, and has shown it can be used where new seeds are sprouting,
so is not depleting nitrogen form the soil. The PH was tested, it is approximately
the same PH as all our soil – between 6.25-6.75 (neutral).
c. We will be adding several barrows full to each bed we prep this Spring, after the
fertilizer (7-5-7) has been added; raking it out to cover the bed. It will be topped
with 1” of commercial compost
d. We will be using it as mulch in all beds needing mulch this year (Strawberry beds,
asparagus, broccoli, broccolini, cauliflower, cabbage, raspberry, boysenberry,
blueberry, etc) .
e. It should allow us to step up the amount of compost we can add to each be each
year, as we had to limit the quantity we used previously for budgetary reasons.
Meaning our soil improvement project can really get a boost.
f. Just as the fresh woodchips do, these are also reducing our carbon footprint
significantly, as they are produced by TSR maintenance crews and TSR would have
to pay to haul away all that cannot be returned to our local area’s soils.
Additionally, they provide us an unlimited free supply of compostable materials,
and are delivered free. It is one of our opportunities to enhance our soil while
we sequester the carbon they contain in our soil, where it will be food for
microbes instead of a source of greenhouse gasses.
5. Woodchip use
For a quick overview of the goodness of woodchips in gardens, see the videos posted
to the Posh website about woodchips.
a. Woodchips are found in the bin in the storage yard near the sign shed.b. Woodchips are a source of organic material to enhance our soil, as well as
providing a good walking surface for the pathways. Initially, they function as a
mulch, keeping weeds down and moisture in the soil; preventing the sun & wind
from drying & cracking the soil surface. They help keep the crops’ roots cooler in
the summer and warmer in the winter: under our pathways are areas the roots of
the larger plants grow to seek water & nutrients, so covering them with chips
helps keep the soil moist and keeps weeds from growing in the paths, which
would compete with the crops for water.
c. After the chips decompose, they release the nitrogen they absorbed & used in the
decomposition process, and slowly feed the soil, as well as providing beneficial
fungi & other micro-organisms to feed the Web of Life in the soil. Within a few
years, they will have completely broken down and become part of the topsoil.
(see the videos posted to the Posh website about woodchips)
d. Wood Chips make an excellent mulch for larger plants, in 2022 we will begin
using the Forest Compost for the mulching: it is well-decomposed woodchips, so
will also add the benefits of compost along with the woodchips benefits, gradually
helping to build a layer of ‘forest duff’ to nurture our perennials. (Now that we
have Forest compost available, we will use that for mulching crops in the beds, as
it has the added benefit of active soil microbes)
e. Woodchips are reducing our carbon footprint significantly, as they are produced
by TSR maintenance crews and TSR has to pay to haul away all that cannot be
returned to our local area’s soils. Additionally, they provide us an unlimited free
supply of compostable materials, and are delivered free. It is one of our
opportunities to enhance our soil while we sequester the carbon they contain in
our soil, where it will be food for microbes instead of a source of greenhouse
gasses.
All composts and woodchips provide great numbers of soil-enhancing microbes; the 4
composts are composed primarily of leaves & plant wastes; all add organic material to hold
soil moisture and preserve/enhance micronutrients in the soil, which feed the Web of Life (soil
microbes that produce the compounds that feed our crops). All are vital to the health of the
Garden; each is providing a slightly different set of benefits. All are materials that might
otherwise be placed in a landfill, so using them in a beneficial way lowers our carbon footprint
and recycles natural materials in a way that benefits the environment, as well as our garden.
1. Homemade Compost: Find in the bins behind the kitchen scrap bins, if a bin is ready
for the garden, it will have a hanging sign above it saying “READY”
a. Made in the bins by the Compost Team with shredded material provided by The
Thursday Team & kitchen scraps provided by Gardeners (& others)
b. To be used beneath other layers, as it does not get hot enough in the bins to kill
the seeds of the kitchen scraps or other seeds it may contain.
c. Utilizes our waste material to keep our environmental footprint small; most of the
‘cost’ is our labor.
2. Longterm Compost: Find the 2 piles below the end of the raspberry rows, (black plastic
may be covering one or both). One pile is being filled at a time, while the other is either
‘cooking’ the weeds and trimmings, or we are digging out and using the composted
contents. There is a sign to mark the area: “Longterm Compost”, and a sign posted on
each of the 2 piles: “1” & “2”, which will be noted on the chore list as well to indicate
which pile is currently accepting deposits- (being filled with weeds & garden debris);
which pile is currently finished & being returned to the beds. When a pile is securely
covered with black plastic it is ‘cooking’, and needs to be left alone. Heat and time are
producing our compost.
a. Weeds and Garden trimmings (those not desired by the Compost Team for the
Homemade Compost) are to go into the Longterm Compost; a significant amount
of topsoil attached to the roots of the weeds is also deposited here. Time and
heat from the micro-organisms that facilitate the decomposing process (plus extra
heat from the sun on the black plastic cover) kills insects & their eggs, weed seeds& rhizomes & most roots cuttings. No turning is needed, we allow a longer
timespan to let the microbes do the work. (Any sticks that are not decomposed
the first time are placed at the bottom of the pile to cook longer under the next
batch of weeds). (Exceptions: no Ivy or Periwinkle; no thorny material is to be
left there: ivy & periwinkle are very invasive and may not be killed in the
composting process, and thorny material is a hazard to the gardeners, both
during pile management and when returned to the garden, as thorns often
remain woody and sharp).
b. The Longterm Compost is our way to salvage all the topsoil lost from the beds and
paths in the weeding process. This soil was lost to us permanently previously,
when weeds were taken to the Haul-away Pile (Moveable Pile). We now recover
all of it, and return it to the beds enhanced with the organic content of the weeds
& grasses.
c. Long term Compost is to be used atop Homemade Compost, as it is heated
sufficiently in the LT pile to kill most of the weed seeds, and will prevent seeds in
the lower layers from germinating by keeping them well below the surface &
sunlight. It is the resource to use when adding depth to a bed, as it is part topsoil,
part composted organic material.
d. Longterm Compost contains larger chunks & pieces of twigs, dry grass, etc., which
give the soil pockets for air & water that are beneficial to roots & soil microbes,
helping sustain the them. These larger pieces continue to decompose in the beds,
feeding the soil for a longer time than small pieces allow.
3. F&R Compost:
Did you know we are making our own compost? TSRA now provides us an unlimited free supply of compost, and it is delivered free. We are refining the recipe and it will only get better from here on out as we observe how it performs in the field. Find it in the largest bin in the storage yard, kept covered with tarps to keep it damp but not wet. Often the signs that label the bins may be tarp-
covered, it can be visually identified as it is the only material that looks like planting mix
from a nursery: dark brown and crumbly. The other bins in the storage yard contain
wood chips (easy to ID the chips), or topsoil, which is 100% dirt and contains no finely-
ground plant material). Commercial Compost is made from chipped & ground wood &
plant wastes & other organic materials, and composted commercially to a high
temperature to kill all seeds and insects.
a. We use our F&R Compost as the top layer when prepping beds, it covers the
fertilizers & other composts and the topsoil. It acts as a barrier to prevent the
weed seeds in lower layers from germinating; holds moisture and nutrients, and
adds a significant amount of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate so we can use
less fertilizer.
b. The single 1” application annually is sufficient for the season.
4. Forest Compost
Forest Compost is the decomposed woodchips from TSRA tree work, composted by
TSRA for 15-20 years. Find in the bin to the right of the Wood Chip Bin in the storage
yard. We will begin this season to use it for all the uses within the beds we previous
had for the woodchips. (it will not be used for pathways.)
a. The original material is from the trees and branches that have been cut by F & R
on TSRA property. Originally, it was a blend of tree branches, trunks, and leaves
and needles that have decomposed for many.many years. It is dug from beneath
the mountain of woodchips stored near the Dog Park, and is free and delivered
free for our use. A mutual benefit arrangement.
b. We began receiving it late in the Fall of 2021, and have applied to several beds to
test it over the winter. It appears to be good at moisture-retention, combines
nicely with the soil, and has shown it can be used where new seeds are sprouting,
so is not depleting nitrogen form the soil. The PH was tested, it is approximately
the same PH as all our soil – between 6.25-6.75 (neutral).
c. We will be adding several barrows full to each bed we prep this Spring, after the
fertilizer (7-5-7) has been added; raking it out to cover the bed. It will be topped
with 1” of commercial compost
d. We will be using it as mulch in all beds needing mulch this year (Strawberry beds,
asparagus, broccoli, broccolini, cauliflower, cabbage, raspberry, boysenberry,
blueberry, etc) .
e. It should allow us to step up the amount of compost we can add to each be each
year, as we had to limit the quantity we used previously for budgetary reasons.
Meaning our soil improvement project can really get a boost.
f. Just as the fresh woodchips do, these are also reducing our carbon footprint
significantly, as they are produced by TSR maintenance crews and TSR would have
to pay to haul away all that cannot be returned to our local area’s soils.
Additionally, they provide us an unlimited free supply of compostable materials,
and are delivered free. It is one of our opportunities to enhance our soil while
we sequester the carbon they contain in our soil, where it will be food for
microbes instead of a source of greenhouse gasses.
5. Woodchip use
For a quick overview of the goodness of woodchips in gardens, see the videos posted
to the Posh website about woodchips.
a. Woodchips are found in the bin in the storage yard near the sign shed.b. Woodchips are a source of organic material to enhance our soil, as well as
providing a good walking surface for the pathways. Initially, they function as a
mulch, keeping weeds down and moisture in the soil; preventing the sun & wind
from drying & cracking the soil surface. They help keep the crops’ roots cooler in
the summer and warmer in the winter: under our pathways are areas the roots of
the larger plants grow to seek water & nutrients, so covering them with chips
helps keep the soil moist and keeps weeds from growing in the paths, which
would compete with the crops for water.
c. After the chips decompose, they release the nitrogen they absorbed & used in the
decomposition process, and slowly feed the soil, as well as providing beneficial
fungi & other micro-organisms to feed the Web of Life in the soil. Within a few
years, they will have completely broken down and become part of the topsoil.
(see the videos posted to the Posh website about woodchips)
d. Wood Chips make an excellent mulch for larger plants, in 2022 we will begin
using the Forest Compost for the mulching: it is well-decomposed woodchips, so
will also add the benefits of compost along with the woodchips benefits, gradually
helping to build a layer of ‘forest duff’ to nurture our perennials. (Now that we
have Forest compost available, we will use that for mulching crops in the beds, as
it has the added benefit of active soil microbes)
e. Woodchips are reducing our carbon footprint significantly, as they are produced
by TSR maintenance crews and TSR has to pay to haul away all that cannot be
returned to our local area’s soils. Additionally, they provide us an unlimited free
supply of compostable materials, and are delivered free. It is one of our
opportunities to enhance our soil while we sequester the carbon they contain in
our soil, where it will be food for microbes instead of a source of greenhouse
gasses.