Sawdust in the Organic Garden

Posted by Jamie McIntosh Aug 31, 2008

My husband is an occasional woodworker, sometimes possessed by fits of activity that lead to a new end table, a mended fence, or an area to confine the cat in the garage. When all that cutting is done and the dust has cleared, there’s an abundance of sawdust to deal with. For the organic gardener, this raw material can complement your hobby.

Although the loose, fluffy texture of sawdust makes it seem like good mulch material, fresh sawdust can rob your soil of nitrogen as it breaks down. A better use for sawdust is in the compost bin, where it blends nicely with wet materials like manure. Make sure the sawdust comes from untreated wood, as you don’t want any toxins like arsenic to leach into your soil.

If you save tender bulbs like cannas, caladiums, or gladioli from one season to the next, you can use sawdust as a packing material to keep the bulbs fresh and dry. Brush any loose soil off the bulbs, allow them to dry for a few days, and pack them in the sawdust so that they aren’t touching one another. Keep the box in a cool, dry place until spring planting time.