Gunpowder as fertilizer

[paulinkansas]

I cleaned out my shotgun reloading bench and found a bunch of old reloaded shotgun shells. They weren't labeled so I had no idea what was in them. Took them apart and salvaged lead shot, steel shot, slugs and buckshot. Saved all the powder. So I bought some potting soil and those cardboard starting containers and mixed gunpowder in with the soil. 1.0 gram, 2.0 grams and 3.0 grams in containers that are about 20 ounces. Going to start some seeds in them and see which one grows best.

 

[Meadowlark]

Can you also do one with 0 grams for baseline comp?

...and post up results here? That would be interesting.

 

[paulinkansas]

Can you also do one with 0 grams for baseline comp?

...and post up results here? That would be interesting.

Planned on doing that. My wife has a greenhouse and some of these electric rubber mats that keep pots warm.

The gunpowders are a mix of Alliant Steel, Hodgdon Longshot, Univeral Clays plus some factory powder from Winchester and Remington.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Does modern smokeless powder still contain potash? And how warm do those mats get

 

[Meadowlark]

Does modern smokeless powder still contain potash?

The primary ingredient in smokeless powder is generally nitrocellulose, but it can also contain other compounds like nitroglycerin or nitroguanidine...unlike black powder which is about 75% potassium nitrate I believe.

Seems like black powder might have better odds in soil...but that's not saying much.

 

[paulinkansas]

Does modern smokeless powder still contain potash? And how warm do those mats get

I don't believe there is any potash is modern smokeless powder. My barrels don't rust on the inside from the lack potassium, and I clean my barrels after about 1000 rounds. Black powder has potassium. That's why the barrel needs to be cleaned after firing it.

I think the mats get to about 90 degrees.

I grew 3 tons of pumpkins last year. That's the seeds that are going in the pots with the gunpowder.

 

[pepper2.0]

@paulinkansas I agree with Meadowlark that black powder would be best. modern gunpowder contains what he mentioned and also chemicals like stabilizers, plasticizers, and detergents. Because they are not natural I don't think it would be good for the plants and can add toxins to them, as well as harmful to the microbes. With that said, it would still be worth a bunt in the name of science.

 

[Meadowlark]

...I grew 3 tons of pumpkins last year. That's the seeds that are going in the pots with the gunpowder.

I'd like to see some photos of those pumpkins, if available @paulinkansas. They are very difficult to grow here...not impossible, but very very difficult.

 

[paulinkansas]

5 rows of pumpkins. That's a dumptruck at the bottom left. Plowed it, disked it, added lime and 4 tons of manure.

 

[paulinkansas]

A load of pumpkins.

 

[pepper2.0]

A load of pumpkins.

pic didn't work, maybe a broken link

 

[paulinkansas]

You can get free manure from feedlots. The one I went to had a pile about the size of a school bus. They loaded it with a skidsteer into my truck. There was jonhson grass seed in various parts of the manure because there was thick random patches of jonhson grass in the strips I fertilized. There was also dead cow in advanced decay in the manure pile. All that was left was the skull and spine. I suspect stray dogs carted off with the legs and ribs.

 

[Meadowlark]

You can get free manure from feedlots.

One thing about that is the possibility of herbicide residue...which @pepper2.0 and I have discussed about before.

It isn't likely but can be devasting to your garden crops for years if you happen to get it.

 

[pepper2.0]

One thing about that is the possibility of herbicide residue...which @pepper2.0 and I have discussed about before.

It isn't likely but can be devasting to your garden crops for years if you happen to get it.

aw yes.. I remember that thread that I stood by my opinion and said I thought it was worth taking the chance.. it got me called a troll and banned from the site.. from the previous mod that banned me because of its shrieking girlfriend that I dared argue with like oneeye did and also got banned in a different thread as well as other members. I stand by saying not worth stressing over the slim chance of it killing the garden but saying that is bringing back PTSD in fear the shrieking one might return with the great cactus mod... woke mfs.. grmf's.

 

[Meadowlark]

of its shrieking girlfriend that I dared argue with like oneeye did and also got banned in a different thread as well as other members. ...

Kind of off topic...but I never heard that story. Oneeye was terrific and one of my favorite posters. I'm really sorry he fell victim to the same treatment I wish he were still here!!