Adding Dog Food to Garden

[PrimeDeborah]

There was article in the 6/14/03 edition of the St. Petersburg times about a woman that uses dog food and several other simple additions to get a great vegetable garden. Here is what she put in the ground several weeks before planting:

1 - 50-pound bag of cheap dog food nuggets.
Several bags of cheap clay cat litter.
1- 50-pound bag of alfalfa pellets
2 bales of coastal hay (try a feed store).
Enough cardboard boxes to completely "tile" your veggie garden.

You are supposed to scatter the food, alfalfa and litter over the dirt and then water it in very well. Then, you cover it with the cardboard so that it overlaps. Pour water on the cardboard until is gets soft. Then scatter the hay over it. Last you are supposed to water it with a course stream of water from the hose to smash down the hay over the cardboard. You only have to water it if it doesn't rain.

I'm dying to try it but have a beagle who eats everything in sight and no fence.

Deborah

[wildflower]

Never heard of dog food in the garden lol. I don't think I would try it though.

It makes me think that the dog food would attact unwanted visitors to the garden. Mice especially like dog food and could easily make a home under the cardboard and hay. Eeeks. I hate mice. My dog and cats and neighborhood pets would probably hang around the garden more than I would like.

Besides, with all my pets it would be a waste to garden with dog food, kitty litter - I've tried sand and newspapers to be more frugal, but the smell was horrid.lol.

The hay would be good for my little rodent friends. NOT mice or rats lol

Alternatively I would and do use -

Kitchen waste - compost it all winter and spread it into the garden in the spring. Add the shredded leaf mold I saved from the fall. Some times we had farm manure (cow or horse) but not every year. My husband will then till it all in and in about three weeks I plant. My garden is great every year - except last year (too cold and wet).

There is a book out called "Lasagna Gardening". I am gonna try her method this spring in an area I haven't gardened in yet.


Wildflower

[ellenmelon]

We just had that dog food scare, but it was for wet food so I think this tip might still be a good one because it uses dry food.