Real Compost In Chiang Mai

[drtreelove]

I visited the compost manufacturing facility in Mae Taeng district of Natural Agriculture last week. They are making real compost out of local raw materials like ground up slash from teak logging operations (material that used to be burned), elephant dung, pig manure, straw and rice hulls in season, grass cuttings, etc. They mix and manage the heaps with temperature and moisture control, turning every two weeks and screening the finished material. No chemicals. Swiss and Thai management in collaboration with government and Mae Jo University. Testing and certification through MJU Soil Science Dept. Sold mostly to farmers in bulk or sacks, 1 ton minimum @ 5 baht per kilo, delivery extra, but may be available soon in sacks for gardeners through Dokmai Garden in Hang Dong. Natural Agriculture 087 026 8860 or 053 112 879

Edited November 8, 2009 by drtreelove

[jaideeguy]

Looks good, sounds good.....what's the NPK?? Is it the 324 on the sack?/ if so, then not bad. But you say they won't sell me a few sacks for my home garden?? have to buy a ton??

[Maejo Man]

Do you know if it's available at Dokmai Garden yet Don? I could certainly do with half a dozen sacks

[noise]

Looks good, sounds good.....what's the NPK?? Is it the 324 on the sack?/ if so, then not bad. But you say they won't sell me a few sacks for my home garden?? have to buy a ton??

Since the sack says animal food, protein not less than 17%, cholesterol not less than 2%, etc., it looks like they are just using old sacks.

Looks like good stuff though.

[drtreelove]

I just talked to Eric at Dokmai Garden and he says they will have sacks in a week or two, both parties are going to be out of town for a few days now. The 1 ton minimum is for pick up or delivery from the site in Mae Taeng, 200 meters off the 1001 CM-Phrao Road on the road to Buatong waterfall.

Noise, that's a good point, it may be sacks for something else; I couldn't read it and didn't ask. My bad. I saw what's going in it, the process and the finished material and it looked good, I assumed the sacks were informational.

Anybody that wants more details, please contact Jacques 087 026 88 60 or PM me for his email.

[Maejo Man]

Thanks for that Don, I'll give them a call and wander down

[caf]

I just talked to Eric at Dokmai Garden and he says they will have sacks in a week or two, both parties are going to be out of town for a few days now. The 1 ton minimum is for pick up or delivery from the site in Mae Taeng, 200 meters off the 1001 CM-Phrao Road on the road to Buatong waterfall.

Noise, that's a good point, it may be sacks for something else; I couldn't read it and didn't ask. My bad. I saw what's going in it, the process and the finished material and it looked good, I assumed the sacks were informational.

Anybody that wants more details, please contact Jacques 087 026 88 60 or PM me for his email.

The compost is available both at the centre and at Thai-owned garden retailers. Much cheaper too. Normal Thai prices. Dokmai has always been expensive for similar quality. It is farang owned.

[doppa]

wheres dokmai garden centre chaps.

[JuniorExPat]

wheres dokmai garden centre chaps.

Dokmai Garden

JxP

[drtreelove]

The compost is available both at the centre and at Thai-owned garden retailers. Much cheaper too. Normal Thai prices. Dokmai has always been expensive for similar quality. It is farang owned.

Your post is inaccurate Caf, and I don't know what motivates you to post garbage like this.

I don't have any financial interest in either operation, just try and be helpful in networking tree, landscape and farming interests.

First of all the compost that I have mentioned as OP, is not available at "Thai-owned garden retailers". This compost from what I was told at the factory, is only available by the ton there in Mae Taeng or by delivery. They will bag it for minimum one ton purchases, but cannot accomodate selling individual sacks at this time due to demands of production. It is not available at Kamtieng or other outlets at this time.

Dokmai garden recognized the superior quality of the product and has offered to order and stock some individual sacks of the material so that Chiang Mai area gardeners have availability of smaller quantities closer to home. I don't know what they will charge. Dokmai Garden has never sold compost yet, or other products except a few plants and books, so there is no possibility for: "always been expensive for similar quality". Do you Caf not have any sense of honesty and accuracy in your statements?

Other types of organic matter are available, but knowing exactly what goes into it and how it is processed is a challenge. There is a popular product "Maw Din" from CP that I have used, but I doubt if it could be considered an organic product, considering CP's large commercial operations and mass production of eggs and livestock. But the price of Maw Din has recently gone up to 180 baht per 25 kilo sack (at "Thai owned garden retailers") Is this what you are referring to as "normal Thai prices". There are other organic matter products available from 50 baht a sack and up, but the cheaper products cannot be considered real compost. Good mulch maybe (layer of top dressing), but don't dig in raw organic matter around living plants or it can deplete nutrients by drawing for it's own decomposition.

Dokmai Garden is Thai owned, by the Seehamongkol family, Khun Ketsanee is president. Her husband Eric, a Phd plant physiologist and mycologist from Sweden, is co-creator of the garden; a gentleman, scholor and university professor. They are offering a good service for the community and their importance will grow. But they seek to offset high maintenance costs by offering a tourist-suitable botanical garden attraction. Entrance price of 300 baht reflects from the tourist market but if you tap into the educational benefits there you may find it worthwhile. You can learn alot if you take a tour, take you notebook and camera and read the informational signs on most of the plants.

I gave a couple of classes there on basic pruning of trees and shrubs, Eric and others have made presentations on various horticultural subjects. Next up I believe later this month is a talk on local grass selections (no not that kind), installing and maintaining lawns. don

[caf]

The compost is available both at the centre and at Thai-owned garden retailers. Much cheaper too. Normal Thai prices. Dokmai has always been expensive for similar quality. It is farang owned.

Sorry, Drtreelove. But my post is not inaccurate. It will be available at other garden centres. and at Thai margins.

( Obviously farangs can't "own" 100% Would you be happier with financed or controlled ) Seems a rather pedantic point.

And I cast no aspersions in my original post about anyone at Dokmai Gardens

[jaideeguy]

till no NKP values?? And you say it was tested.....

I think I'll stick with my 10thb/sack for good composted cow manuere.

[drtreelove]

till no NKP values?? And you say it was tested.....

I think I'll stick with my 10thb/sack for good composted cow manuere.

You want NPK values call them yourself, I offered the contact information. I'm not selling it, and I don't care if you buy it or not. I just though some gardeners would appreciate the information.

NPK values are interesting but not significant to me for compost, I don't regard it as fertilizer. You obviously don't appreciate the difference in compost and fertilizer. The value of real compost is in the complex organic matter and microbial activity that enhances comprehensive soil fertility and builds soil stucture.

Manure is great stuff and a good substitute for chemical fertilizers, but even if "composted" it is not the same as complete compost. If you have manure you can make your own compost. see attached

HORT_FORUM_2_Composting.pdf

Edited November 11, 2009 by drtreelove

[caf]

till no NKP values?? And you say it was tested.....

I think I'll stick with my 10thb/sack for good composted cow manuere.

You want NPK values call them yourself fool, I gave you the contact information. I'm not selling it, and I don't care if you buy it or not. I just though some gardeners would appreciate the information.

Do you have to call other posters fools? Sad

[Nienke]

Sorry, Drtreelove. But my post is not inaccurate. It will be available at other garden centres. and at Thai margins.

( Obviously farangs can't "own" 100% Would you be happier with financed or controlled ) Seems a rather pedantic point.

And I cast no aspersions in my original post about anyone at Dokmai Gardens

IS it available at other garden centers as you stated in post#7 or WILL it be available, as you then say in post #11.

If it is already available in other garden centers can you tell where and for how much?

And from Drtreelove's posts I understand there is a difference between reall compost, compost with manure in it and manures. (didn't read the attachment yet)

Is it possible that at other garden centers something different is sold than the compost drtreelove is talking about?

To me Dokmai Gardens sounds like a little paradise in Chiang Mai. Definitely worth a visit. And thank you drtreelove for your helpfull posts.

[wescue]

Sorry, Drtreelove. But my post is not inaccurate. It will be available at other garden centres. and at Thai margins.

( Obviously farangs can't "own" 100% Would you be happier with financed or controlled ) Seems a rather pedantic point.

And I cast no aspersions in my original post about anyone at Dokmai Gardens

IS it available at other garden centers as you stated in post#7 or WILL it be available, as you then say in post #11.

If it is already available in other garden centers can you tell where and for how much?

And from Drtreelove's posts I understand there is a difference between reall compost, compost with manure in it and manures. (didn't read the attachment yet)

Is it possible that at other garden centers something different is sold than the compost drtreelove is talking about?

To me Dokmai Gardens sounds like a little paradise in Chiang Mai. Definitely worth a visit. And thank you drtreelove for your helpfull posts.

Hi CM,

DocMai is a gift to anyone who visits.

You dont get this everywhere. Get on down

Greg

[caf]

Sorry, Drtreelove. But my post is not inaccurate. It will be available at other garden centres. and at Thai margins.

( Obviously farangs can't "own" 100% Would you be happier with financed or controlled ) Seems a rather pedantic point.

And I cast no aspersions in my original post about anyone at Dokmai Gardens

IS it available at other garden centers as you stated in post#7 or WILL it be available, as you then say in post #11.

If it is already available in other garden centers can you tell where and for how much?

And from Drtreelove's posts I understand there is a difference between reall compost, compost with manure in it and manures. (didn't read the attachment yet)

Is it possible that at other garden centers something different is sold than the compost drtreelove is talking about?

To me Dokmai Gardens sounds like a little paradise in Chiang Mai. Definitely worth a visit. And thank you drtreelove for your helpfull posts.

Don't get too excited, Nienke. This is only someone promoting someone's business. Happens alll the time

[Blinky Bill]

This is only someone promoting someone's business. Happens alll the time

Do you produce this stuff, caf? It's not from bulls.

[KevinHunt]

Don't get too excited, Nienke. This is only someone promoting someone's business. Happens alll the time

OCD is treatable, you know.  

[IanForbes]

I don't know about compost in Chiang Mai, but I've sure seen a lot on thaivisa.

[rawjade420]

Elephant Dung takes it down a notch though.