Shhhhsh! The SECRET INGREDENT is............

[h.h.]

you know how it gets, somebody says pube and they all start giggling and end up in a motel sink fighting for their lives ...
The main question being how does hair break down? I know it does or my yard would be a foot thick. Just really slow. It doesn't finish with the other compost.I wonder if a presoak in citric acid would help.

 

[Bullfrog44]

Sounds like a good use of your hair, however I think I would puke if I picked up a ball of hair from the barber. That is just strait nasty.

 

[h.h.]

With my bare hands, I'll dig in soil full of bat shit, worm shit, bacteria and fungus. Why is it we find all things human disgusting?

 

[High Country]

So what is the active ingredient in cat/dog hair that plants like?

Think I'll just stick to a balanced nutrient regime until proven otherwise.

Each to their own I guess.

 

[Hundred Gram Oz]

It's a bit hairy for me

 

[OjoRojo420]

It's a bit hairy for me

Damn straight... with overtones of extreme danger...

Don't feel warm and "fuzzy" anymore... LOL

Ojo

 

[jaykush]

So what is the active ingredient in cat/dog hair that plants like?

hair is essentially protein, and proteins eventually become N in the soil.

 

[sso]

oh dont be so serious, a lil humour wont kill ya.

we probably have all these issues about "humanstuff" from when we were toddlers and doing playdo with our shit and piss, when our parents yelled "disgusting" till we got it.

nothing like your mom giving you that disgusted grimace to give you longabiding issues.

btw, my opinion is, that there is nothing wrong with using "human stuff" as compost or fertilizer.

use urine myself.

afraid my hair is going with the wind though(probably great! for some garden out there..)

got a shitload of cat hair though

 

[beta]

.

 

[Green and Gold]

Hair works well in compost.....so do feathers.
All sources of nitrogen.

 

[mad librettist]

let me press the case a bit harder for incorporating raw hair or fur into your mix. When you have such things in various stages of decomp, your "N"from that source, though that is oversimplifying things, is coming gradually and steadily, rather than in waves.

 

[sunnydog]

let me press the case a bit harder for incorporating raw hair or fur into your mix. When you have such things in various stages of decomp, your "N"from that source, though that is oversimplifying things, is coming gradually and steadily, rather than in waves.

 

[trichosaurus]

So why were you putting hair into your soil to begin with?

Seems like there could be some potential pros to hairy soil and some drawbacks as well. Maybe someone could convince others with a side-by-side comparison.

 

[Hammerhead]

How long does it take for hair to decompose enough to benefit your compost pile??? I thought I read hair can take a year to decompose.

 

[sunnydog]

How long does it take for hair to decompose enough to benefit your compost pile??? I thought I read hair can take a year to decompose.

Having it in various stages of breakdown is the "goal".

 

[beta]

.

 

[mad librettist]

What evidence did you use to determine that this was the 'goal'? Also, I'd really like to see the side-by-side you did to determine that the addition of hair was a positive one.

PS: Thanks for your thread on Trompf Blumats - It's been a life-changer for me!

you make it sound like we are talking about something new or experimental

biotone uses feathers as a main N source

 

[beta]

.

 

[mad librettist]

I get that hair / feathers have N. I'm just wondering why sunnydog is claiming that they are a superior source; I'm assuming he did a side-by-side?

hair has an advantage in the sense that you can't overdo it, it breaks down gradually, and it is very cheap

disadvantage is that it is slow


You can accomplish the same thing by gradually feeding guano.


side by side would only show you that both work

 

[sunnydog]

I get that hair / feathers have N. I'm just wondering why sunnydog is claiming that they are a superior source; I'm assuming he did a side-by-side?

Never claimed it was a "superior " source of anything.
I have hand fulls of dog hair; it gets rotted, about 50% or so makes it thru some what intact. Holds moisture nicely, roots seem to like it, plants are kicking ass; healthy as can be= good enough for me.
I simply do not have time or resources to do the testing you speak of.


Thread title was meant kind of tongue in cheek, BTW.