Yeah--that name "sweet peas" is a world of $%#^ trouble.
---McG
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Boekelheide" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 7:42 AM
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Two compost safety questions
> Hi, Sharon,
>
> I wouldn't worry about the toxicity of small amounts
> of daffodil leaves (even large amounts) in the compost
> pile.
>
> Which "mole plant?" Ricinus communis (castor bean),
> or Euphorbia lathyris (called 'sassy jack' around
> here)? Small amounts of either? I'd toss 'em in.
>
> Here are some general rules we follow:
>
> For practical reasons, keep plants like poison oak or
> ivy, sassy jack, etc out of the pile, since they
> irritate the skin and are a pain to work with.
> Likewise with very thorny stuff.
>
> For plants that are dangerous if eaten, we should all
> be more careful about including them in food gardens,
> even as hedges or 'landscaping. Generally, however,
> they won't 'poison' a compost pile, since the active
> substances will be biodegraded by microbial action
> long before you get finished compost (composting is
> used for bioremediation for just that reason).
>
> (Don't try that with heavy metals, of course! Be very
> cautious about using any compost made with biosolids
> mixed with industrial waste, as happens in too many
> cities. I avoid them for food gardens.)
>
> I like daffies and use them in gardens I work with,
> and haven't ever heard of problems. However, some
> folks always ask 'are those onions?' when we have to
> move bulbs when some still have green tops.
>
> For things like castor bean, or oleander out West or
> in Florida, I avoid them, but they are very common in
> the landscape. Castor bean is pretty spectacular,
> actually, if you like that look. Still, I won't grow
> them anywhere near food. However, you may want to have
> an educational/ornamental planting with a sign
> explaining how dangerous they are (or as Mike says,
> the particular parts) and their medicinal uses.
> Likewise, I won't grow sweet peas in a children's
> garden near the sugar snaps - though people have done
> this since the days of Alan Chadwick and before.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Don Boekelheide
> Charlotte NC
>
> Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 11:20:39 -0400
> From: "Sharon Gordon" <gordonse at one.net>
> Subject: [Community_garden] Two compost safety
> questions
>
> In trying to compost as much as possible, we are
> trying to decide what
> items
> can be added to the compost pile.
>
> We've seen recomendations not to add toxic plants such
> as to compost
> that
> will be used on food gardens
> poison oak
> poison ivy
> oleander
>
> We have questions about two other items:
> daffodil leaves
> Mole plant--Euphorbia lathyris
>
> Sharon
> gordonse at one.net
>
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