Buried in shavings

[Matt Newton]

I have been roughing out a bunch of cherry lately and I'm running out of room in the shop with all the shavings and cut-offs. What do you all do with this stuff? I have in the past used the shavings to mulch flower beds, but with a foot of snow on the ground thats not an option. I also don't have a lot of land to dump it on. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[Dennis Ford]

If you have any neighbors with horses, they would like to have the shavings.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Matt - I usually make compost piles to break the shavings down a little before using as mulch. Have heard that fresh shavings have to much acid or something and can harm plants. If you do not have the room - you may have neighbors that are into gardening and would appreciate the shavings.

[Matt Newton]

Steve, I know that walnut and probably some exotics are bad for other plants so I only use the cherry shavings.

Dennis, Is there the same issue with using the shavings as bedding for animals?

[steven carter]

If you have any neighbors with horses, they would like to have the shavings.


Just don't use walnut shavings with horses, it is supposed to make them founder. Or at least that is what I read somewhere.

Steve

[John Keeton]

Aside from the toxicity problems associated with walnut and some exotics, there is a problem with mulching with any fresh shavings.

If decomposition is accomplished with bacteria and fungi (and, it normally would be in an outside environment), nitrogen is removed from the surrounding soil resulting in nitrogen starved plants. That is why it should be composted separately, then used as a soil additive.

[Chris Stolicky]

I would do a bit of research on cherry before you put it around animals. I remember it being really bad for dogs. It may also be bad for some other animals, too.

[Richard Madison]

Compost pile? Mulch the snow?

[Kim Ford]

Walnut shavings are a ABSOLUTE NO for horses, even in very small amounts. They can founder sometimes in a few hours.

We have horses and sometimes I use the shavings for bedding, provided I have NO walnut in the pile. Otherwise, I put them on our manure pile with other shavings and refuse from the horses.

Raw shavings will rob a lot of nitrogen from the soil when they decompose and can also be acidic, so it is best to let them "cook" for a year or longer before you add them in any concentration to a garden or bed.

All of my walnut either goes to the burn pile or in the dumpster.

[David Hostetler]

Do you have a fireplace?

[Dick Sowa]

I put walnut shavings on a nearby hillside, and it keeps the path weed free. Both because of the mulch, and it's toxic to a lot of other plants. Sadly, it has zero affect on poison ivy :( I also have heard the same thing about horses and walnut shavings...can be very serious.

My neighbor has a friend that takes all my sawdust and shavings. He mixes them with used motor oil, and burns the mixture in his furnace.

[charlie knighton]

David has the idea, take newspaper and make you some logs with the shavings

[Josiah Bartlett]

Cherry? Smoke/BBQ up some ribs or chicken.

[Dan Forman]

I usually let them sit on the floor for a day or two to dry, then bag them up and give them to neighbors to use for kindling in their woodstoves/fireplaces. Or you can sweep them up in a pile and use it for naps. :)

Dan

[John Keeton]

Or you can sweep them up in a pile and use it for naps. :)

DanDan, you had me for a minute with the avatar!!!:eek: I thought you were up to your ears in shavings and chips.....then, I read the post!!:D

I was ready to call 911 to come dig you out!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with the others to compost the shavings. I also give a lot of mine to a chicken farmer. He loves them. Walnut is not good for horses as Kim said and can make them founder in a few hours or less. I made a compost barrel last summer for grass clippings, wood chips, etc. I just go out everyday and give it a spin. So in the winter I just scoop my chips out to the side of the barrel and wait for spring along with a lot warmer temps. I have a pile probably about 5 ft in diameter and 4 ft or so tall.

[Steve Mawson]

Local trash service gets mine since I am in town. I have a big bin on wheels which will hold a lot. Best to compost if you are going to use for mulch. Mix some soil (dirt) in the compost pile as well. Any decaying wood material will take up a lot of Nitrogen which most plants need to grow.

[Dan Forman]

I think you can just add a little nitrogen to compensate for what is used by the mulch, which should also speed up decomposition. Don't want to over do it either though. Check with your local composting authorities for details.

Dan