getting mulch from the dump ?

[ElysianWort]

It is a fact that the dump mulch spreads the fire ants. Maybe the pile gets hot but that's not enough to stop the spread. It's hit or miss depending on where the green waste comes from. Some piles of mulch have LFA and some don't.

[MarkP]

I have had mulch in a 5' x 5' x 5' pile get up to 145 degrees. That's 18" in, as far as my compost thermometer will reach. The outside is ambient temperature. It also takes a couple of days to reach full temperature. There is plenty of opportunity for undesirable bugs and plants to escape being cooked. It is still a good thing to do though. Covering with clear plastic does help get the temps up particularly on the surface and probably just as important it creates a humid environment where creatures can not use ventilation and evaporation to keep themselves cool. The ideal setup would be a nice concrete slab and a bin with some impervious walls, preferably insulated. That way there is only the top and front to seal with plastic. I know much emphasis is placed on aerating the pile but small piles are naturally over-aerated and are hard to keep warm. Large windrows in commercial settings are often aerated to release heat and keep them from burning. Large in this case is apparently several times larger than my pile. I was never the least bit concerned about fire. A 10'x10'x10' pile would have 8 times the volume of my 5'x5'x5' pile, so several times larger, not twice as large.

I have been turning over ideas for corner fence posts on my property. I am thinking of building CMU walls out from the corners about 6' each way. That should make an excellent anchor point for the fence as well as make an excellent compost bin on each corner of the property.

[taropatch]

Though much attention is given to LFA, rightfully so, the mulch also transports ground termites. My friend received a dump truck load of mulch with the critters crawling in a section of the load. We treated it with termite solution, turned it and covered it with a tarp. Another guy I know returned his pickup load to the dump when he discovered the problem.

[lavalava]

Dump mulch is infested with LFA, don't bother (unless you already have LFA)!

[terracore]

I have LFA already so I'm not worried about that. Ground termites are a different issue. What is a good proactive method to prevent bringing termites to my home in a mulch pile?

[1voyager1]

Worrying about LFAs when living in Puna is a lot like worrying about encroaching vegetation.
You will always need to be dealing with them.
I had LFAs before bringing in my first load of mulch.
I treat my property with Tango regularly once a month.
Having someone treat your property for them or doing it yourself is a fact of life to live in Puna without LFAs.
Especially if your adjacent neighbors don't treat for them.

I unload the mulch about 150' from the house and compost it for several weeks before spreading it around.
I see no effect from the mulch on the LFA population.
Go ahead and worry about them if it makes you feel better.
It'd be better to deal with them rather than worrying about them.

[taropatch]

quote:

---

Originally posted by terracore

I have LFA already so I'm not worried about that. Ground termites are a different issue. What is a good proactive method to prevent bringing termites to my home in a mulch pile?

---

I hand load mine so I am able to sight-check for termites. Not guaranteed, but that's the best I can do other than avoiding the mulch. Machine-loading does not allow sight-checking. I don't know if you want to spray pesticide, turn it, and cover with tarp. From personal experience, I have never seen ground termites while hand loading.

[terracore]

FF a few years... now I'm REALLY getting ready to fetch my first pickup load of mulch. Is the procedure still the same? Are there any days/times where they are known to load it for you?

[kalakoa]

Is the procedure still the same?

You have to be weighed before and after. Scale past the mulch, around to the left.

[terracore]

Are there any days/times where they are known to load it?