Hot composting with chicken bedding and garden waste

[vehve]

To my understanding it shouldn't do any damage, although it's water binding properties might create a need for more added moisture. Also, I don't know what the long term effects of adding zeolite to the soil would have. Sweet PDZ is basically what makes up 15% of laundry detergent, I'm not sure how much I'd want of that in my garden.

On the other hand, I don't have any experience with the product, as it is not sold here, so someone else might be able to answer you better.

 

[aart]

To my understanding it shouldn't do any damage, although it's water binding properties might create a need for more added moisture. Also, I don't know what the long term effects of adding zeolite to the soil would have. Sweet PDZ is basically what makes up 15% of laundry detergent, I'm not sure how much I'd want of that in my garden.

On the other hand, I don't have any experience with the product, as it is not sold here, so someone else might be able to answer you better.

????

 

[vehve]

aart, zeolite, (the substance sweet PDZ is made of) is used as a water softener in most commercial laundry detergents.

I did a quick read on it and apparently it's biologically inert, so it shouldn't be an issue in compost, however it doesn't do any good there either.

*Edit* If I remember correctly, pool filters often use zeolite granules too. Interesting what kind of different uses a substance has.

 

[vehve]

Well, it appears I was wrong. Zeolite might actually have some beneficial effects in compost. Apparently it helps bind nutrients to the compost and keeps emissions down. I'm too lazy to read through this properly right now, but here's a research paper on the subject:

http://www.pjoes.com/pdf/20.6/Pol.J.Environ.Stud.Vol.20.No.6.1411-1418.pdf

 

[vpatt]

I think DE is used for some pool filters....

I guess I would just try not to use too much PDZ for the compost. I didn't know it was in detergent. I may have added a bit of DE in the coop also....cannot remember. But the small amount I used should not hurt if I don't add it again. Thnx

 

[vehve]

DE works similarly as PDZ, it's also used as a stall freshener. Personally I would not use it inside the coop though, due to the risks involved with breathing in the dust, but I don't think it would hurt too much in compost. We do sometimes add a bit of DE in the run, under their roosts to bind moisture if it's been raining a lot. The chickens don't dust bathe in that spot, so I see it as a minimal risk, and there's usually a good layer of bedding on top of it.

 

[vpatt]

Off topic ...but I tried making a nice dust spa for the ladies but they move around to different spots and seem to like plain dirt over the sand, DE, PDZ and ashes that I have used. So I gave up, lol. They can choose for themselves.

 

[vehve]

Peat seems to be a favorite of ours. They like sand too, and don't mind mixing a bit of ashes into it.

 

[aart]

Zeolite absorbs ammonia.
Exactly how, chemically, I'm not sure.

What I wonder is if and how it might release it, beneficially or not.

 

[vehve]

Apparently it isn't water soluble in the zeolite, but the plants can access it. At least that was what I found with a quick tour of the first google results.