Compost

jennyhiggins37

Hi this is the first winter I've done growing vegetables. So all the compost I used over last spring/summer can I use it again or do I have to start from scratch again. Thanks

Fairygirl

It can depend on the veg, but carrots don't like a rich soil, so you can re use some of it for those, if you grow them. 
Many vegetables need rotating [as in -being moved into a new piece of soil]  if they're being grown in the ground, to avoid pests/diseases, but I'm assuming you're using containers? If so, it wouldn't apply 

Chris-P-Bacon

I would recommend watching a few Charles Dowding videos - very instructive (and myth busting!) ... I've picked this one just to provide a link but he's done quite a few.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIV4lljN6Aw

detsnpowder

I have trimmed a lot of Ivy down , is it OK to put it in my compost ?

Fairygirl

I don't put it in my compost @detsnpowder - it goes in the council garden waste bin. 
I don't trust it not to root and fill the entire compost bin 

It might be ok if you left it out long enough to dry out well, but I wouldn't risk it. Others may have a different experience of it though. It's very leathery too, so I'd expect it'll take longer to break down unless it's shredded 

JennyJ

I put most of the ivy that I pull out into the council green waste bin too - they're welcome to it. I sometimes pull out old brown fallen ivy leaves from the hedge bottom along with the privet leaves and fallen tree leaves that accumulate there, and they go into the compost with no problems, but I don't put stems in. They root at the slightest opportunity.

Topbird

Council garden bin for my ivy too. The garden waste facility here puts everything through a giant shredder which reduces everything to tiny bits which compost fast and at a high temperature. That's the sort of treatment needed to prevent ivy rooting.

Ivy seems to root where ever to touches but I wish somebody would explain why I was 100% unsuccessful in managing to strike ivy cuttings when I actually wanted some....🤨

Biglad

All the ivy I ripped out whilst removing old fence panels went in the council bin as well.

That'll be the Law of Sod @Topbird  

detsnpowder

Thanks for your comments and tips, oops I have put some in my bin but I wont in future. I'll have to see how it goes ; I am trying to smother it with other stuff and chop it up more with the spade hoping it rots down.

Fairygirl

That's strange though @Topbird. It might have been easier to peg it down - like doing strawberry runners. That's the only way I ever do it with ivy. 

Hope it works well enough for you @detsnpowder. I have a problem getting compost bins to heat up enough, so any ivy would just love the cool wet conditions. I'm not giving it the opportunity or the satisfaction....

Topbird

Biglad said:

All the ivy I ripped out whilst removing old fence panels went in the council bin as well.

That'll be the Law of Sod @Topbird  

I seem to encounter his laws far too often @Biglad😁