This is the story of a Fig, a Compost Manure Bag, and an Einstein Moment!

MFJFIGS

MFJFIGS

Well-known member
This is the story of a Fig, a Compost Manure Bag, and an Einstein Moment!

I have 70 bags of compost manure left, each weighs about 60+ lbs. Up until this morning, I was trying not to think what to do with them now that the season is over… then, I had a Golden Moment 😀

I will use the bags to build a wall of insulation around in-ground fig trees! Wrap the tree tightly with a few layers of natural burlap, wrap 7-watt heat cable around it, leave a 12” gap and build a box of foam insulation (12 inch X 12in X 6 feet high), leave 8” gap then place 6 of these bags around the box (circular form, as tight as possible), stack another three rows on top. Fill the gap with dried leaves. Wrap it all with a heavy duty tarp (three layers would be great).

(Attached pictures showing how I insulated last year when I only had Hardy Chicago trees in ground. This year, I added RDB, Hollier and a few other trees, so I will beef up insulation with heat cables, these orange compost manure bags , and foam insulation. Also included a picture showing size of holes dug, the 15-gallon pot is to show the scale of the hole)
 
MFJFIGS said:
(Attached pictures showing how I insulated last year when I only had Hardy Chicago trees in ground. This year, I added RDB, Hollier and a few other trees, so I will beef up insulation with heat cables, these orange compost manure bags , and foam insulation. Also included a picture showing size of holes dug, the 15-gallon pot is to show the scale of the hole)
Click to expand...

For some reason, I can’t see your photos…
 

Regarding any airtight compost in trash bags: There could be anaerobic activity in there which could compromise the nutrients and create methane as a by product. Just a thought.
 
I was thinking like @"GoodFriendMike"#9 , and @"bushdoctor82"#14 that the bags themselves would be a source of toasty winter Heat when @"Figology"#21 comments made me wonder. Still once spring comes you can just open those bags and stir it with a pitchfork and it should be all right. LOL but if those gasifying fertilizer bags blow up it's going to be a story for the ages.
 
@"Figless"#18 my main objective was to make sure the compost was still safe for next season. I’m not a soil biologist, but those were my first thoughts.
 
@"MFJFIGS"#76 - 70 bags? That's a lot of poop! I like your pics.... the trees look toasty.

It occurred to me that I need to post about my winter protection methods here
 
@TorontoJoe How do you keep all those freezing fig trees warm, and toasty over the winter? I'm not really feeling the 72 Raccoon coat solution. What about some heating cables, and double walled mini Greenhouse. To retain heat provided by the heating cable?
 
@"TorontoJoe"#1 

Do you use 7-watt heat cables, or lower wattage?
Someone had mentioned 7 watts burned or caused damaged to their trees.
 
Wow!  Now that looks like some serious winter protections!  It will be interesting to hear the outcome next spring.  Hope it works wonders!
 
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