Save Your Sawdust

db5 · Post by **db5** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 4:08 pm

Save your sawdust this winter if you plan on over seeding or planting a lawn this spring; or if you use a fertilizer spreader on your lawn. Mix 50/50 with grass seed or fertilizer and you can easily see areas that you missed of didn't adequately cover.

Lodgepole · Post by **Lodgepole** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:28 pm

Great tip!

The house we bought a couple of years ago had renters in it for the last 12 years. So, I need to dig up the entire lawn and start from scratch.

This is a very timely tip!

billmeyer · Post by **billmeyer** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:33 pm

As I understand it, be careful which sawdust you save. I have heard that Walnut sawdust will harm plants.
Bill

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 6:10 pm

I don't know about walnut but I do know that you must avoid MDF shavings/cuttings in what you put on plants.

db5 · Post by **db5** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 8:28 pm

Black walnut is toxic to most plants. Sawdust should be from wood not wood products or that crap that is made with glue and chips. Almost any wood will do so long as it is wood, even plywood.

For seeding a new lawn mix sawdust 25% and seed 75%. Sawdust, especially new sawdust, will slightly impede germination. On over seeding you can do this too but the 50/50 mix won't have much adverse effect on small sections. It should have no effect on fertilization.

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Thu Jan 17, 2013 10:56 pm

When I first saw this title, I thought you were going to say to save it to fill in cracks in joined boards.

40 years ago, an old man used to cut juniper and sell the sawdust to sprinkle on lawns. Did it a couple of times and didn't see any help. Sounds like a great idea to put on the lawns or in gardens.

skou · Post by **skou** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 1:15 am

OK, since I'm a smoker (BBQ) as well as a woodworker, I already save my
hardwood sawdust.

Walnut may harm plants, but it is a RARE treat, on the smoker.

steve

BuckeyeDennis · Post by **BuckeyeDennis** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 6:36 am

skou wrote:OK, since I'm a smoker (BBQ) as well as a woodworker, I already save my
hardwood sawdust.

Walnut may harm plants, but it is a RARE treat, on the smoker.

steve

That sounds like a great use for sawdust!

I currently buy wood chips and soak them in water for a few hours before putting them in a smoker box. I preheat the grill (propane) until the smoke starts, and then throw on the meat. The wood chips generally last long enough to finish the grilling.

Will the same process work with sawdust?

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 6:44 am

BuckeyeDennis wrote:That sounds like a great use for sawdust!

I currently buy wood chips and soak them in water for a few hours before putting them in a smoker box. I preheat the grill (propane) until the smoke starts, and then throw on the meat. The wood chips generally last long enough to finish the grilling.

Will the same process work with sawdust?

I don't know about using them in a smoker, I think NOT, but I read an article about using sawdust to make balls of wood chips to use as a starter. I don't remember what the adhesive was but I am sure it was not glue.

The point: Sawdust is more than just a nuisance.

Counterpoint: Sawdust from MDF is all bad!

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:43 am

dusty wrote:I don't know about using them in a smoker, I think NOT, but I read an article about using sawdust to make balls of wood chips to use as a starter. I don't remember what the adhesive was but I am sure it was not glue.

But the chips off the jointer should do nicely in the smoker.

The adhesive for the sawdust balls is typically parafin wax. This is similar to the pressed logs used in fireplaces.