Weeds in compost bin?
LavenderLois
Posts: 4
about a year ago, some weeds were accidently put in our compost bins - I didn't realise this had happened until a few months ago when my husband told me. Anyway, obviously I dont want to now use the compost on our garden, but is there anything I can do with it, rather than just digging it all out of the bins and taking it to the recycling centre? e.g. could I put it in black bags and leave it in the sun for a few weeks (if we have that much sun!) - would the build up of heat kill any remaining weed seeds?
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I thought weeds were part of compost. They all go on my heap
In the sticks near Peterborough
I think you are being over cautious and slightly neurotic
-there are weed seeds in you garden-if the compost is rotted use it -you are never going to wipe out weeds any way-the use of the compost far outweighs the odd weed
Hi Putting the weeds into plastic bags is a good idea, but I would leave them for at least a year to make sure that all seed and growth has stopped and if you have couch grass leave it to decay for at least 2 years and then compost it
Derek
LavanderLois, Everything goes in my compost apart from the odd nasty weed, they go in the bin.
As long as your compost gets plenty of heat, is it steaming warm to the touch? then you can use the compost after six to eight months.
We will never erradicate weeds, they blow about, birds drop them and they can sleep in the soil for years then soil disturbance will set them off.
My compost bins are home made and large filling one whilst emptying the other, they do get up to heat, smaller ones may not although in time what is in there will rot down, it just takes longer.
Lift a hand full and feel it, then smell it if it feels and smells sweet then use it as normal, if not then give it a bit more time but do not watse any of it as compost is pure gold.
If you get the odd weed and you will then a Dutch hoe is the ideal tool, I carry mine everywhere and splat any weed I see,, it also comes in handy to lean on and contemplate, well that is what I call it.
Frank.
Ahh, ok, good to know I am just being paranoid! Thanks everyone, I shall use the compost. and a very good point that we will never eradicate weeds - a look at my garden tells me as much!
If you live in the UK, you could be waiting a jolly long time for a compost bin to heat up...and besides, most bins are just too small and skinny to generate an internal heat.
I may put the odd annual weed in the compost but never a perennial.
Hi my compost heap never gets warm though i admit i am a bit lazy in turning it.Verdun how big is your heap? mine is four small palets fastened together should it get warm if i turnit more often? Thanks
Compost will get hot in this country providing you work at it.
My bins made of wood home made with room to let air in at the base, half an inch will do and wire it if you fear rats, never found any in my bins ever.
I have slatted front bars which can be taken out the compost forked into my wheel barrow turned and tossed back damping with my recycled waste water diluted in a watering can, and that is damping not soaking.
Cover the top with plastic bags or old carpet and I made fitted lids. The whole arrangement up against a brick wall and gets the sun in the morning and late afternoon, you could boil eggs in it at times.
Three things for compost Air Heat Water and yes most of those plastic things are too small, in the wrong position, kept too dry or too wet, never turned, not the way to make decent compost.
It worked for my father although we had animal manure as well and it works for me, common sense and a workout every five or six weeks, must be worth it.
Oh and no I do not put perennial weeds in it but all else goes in
Lois Paranoid I thought quite harsh, does that mean if we do not know something we are all paranoid? we have to learn and that is from those with experience.
Frank
Nice point that we have to learn from those with experience. I inherited the compost bins - wooden slates, quite large, two of them. I haven't turned them since we moved in about a year ago, so I shall do that this weekend. Do I just stick a fork in and turn it over as much as I can??