CAN I SAVE MY COMPOST PILE????

I don't think I'd use it on a veggie bed, but that's just me. Could you just use it on flower beds and start over?

There are guidelines for composting manure safely, temp requirements for a hot pile as well I time required. If you can get it hot and keep it there .... let sit for a year of so? I honestly don't remember the time-temp requirements supposedly necessary to kill those pathogens. I don't pay much attention because I don't ever knowingly compost poop. Googling might help you out .

Karen

Here's some light-hearted reading
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/soil/msg0116200217246.html

Karen

How many cats do the neighbors have??? In other words, do you think there really is enough cat waste for it to be a problem?

I agree with kqcrna that I just wouldn't be able to stomach putting that compost on my vegetable garden...but I wouldn't have a problem using it in my flower beds or on my lawn. Maybe.

On the other hand...

A few years ago I composted dog poop, just to see what would happen. (I have four JRT's). I devoted a compost bin just for the dog poop compost, and every time I added dog poop to it, I covered it with dead leaves and lawn clippings. It still smelled to high heaven and attracted flies like crazy.

It took an entire year, but then it looked like normal compost and there was no objectionable odor.

But I just couldn't bring myself to use it even on my flowers or lawn, because I knew what it really was!

I carried it to the end of the lawn and dumped it in the ditch.

Some would say your compost pile doesn't need saving.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/804986/

If you were to throw out the compost, the cats are just going to start using your garden. If you have cats you will have cat poop.

Don't mean to disrespect you, but, um, have you seen the cats poop on top of the lawn grass? Mine will dig somewhere in loose material and bury it. For me that means they dig in my unraked leaves or freshly turned soil. I really doubt you have any cat poo in the compost from grass clippings. But if you're worried, I agree just use it on non edibles, or on edibles but in the off season where you'll have several month s before harvest.

ice worm- that is a stitch. I think I'd feel the same way.

If cat poop can ruin a garden, I'm doomed. My cats love my raised beds when they're dormant. I fence them out in the growing season (along with the other critters), but I'm not sure that it's necessary to fence the garden year round.

SallyG,
I've heard my DH cursing enough times, and smelled the evidence enough, to know it's there.....

OK, I believe you. A mess of feral cats may well have some bad 'habits' that I'm not familiar with. Sorry you have to endure that kind of situation!

Can you decoy the cats by creating a discreet area that's more attractive to them as a "litter box" than your lawn, like a sandy patch behind some bushes?

PuddlePirate,

Now, why didn't I think of that? Chuck the kitty pucks into a nice sandpile until they catch on!

Together, we can outwit a cat!

I worked on my trellis bed this weekend. Expanded it from 3 x 4 to 5 x 5. Tore down the doghouse that was sitting in the space. Layered coffee grinds, leaves, grass, and a veggie "slush!"

This is the after pic.

This message was edited Mar 2, 2009 11:00 AM

This is the before pic.

Lovely. Room to stir it up.