Composting weeds

[katynewbie]

Plot 20 is covered in rose bay willow herb and thistles....this is goodish cos the rose bay comes out really easily!! Can I compost all of this or is my sceptical neighbour at plot 16/18 right when he says I should take it all to the tip? I have a dalek type compost bin and am going to make proper ones when I have cleared a space. Any advice would be great!! This is so wonderful to have a place to ask stupid questions!!!

[katynewbie]

[redimp]

Stick it in the compost heap in all one go and hope it heats up.  When it's done, you can through it  and any roots from digy perrenials should be in one piece and you can take these out.  Hopefully, if you build up some heat, this should deal with weed seeds.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Compost the lot, ignore your neighbour, and prepare to deal with lots of seedlings. I say that despite a fondness for rosebay willowherb; it's a good bee plant, and I've smelt the characteristic rotting vegetation smell many times when the bees were busy evaporating the nectar down. It doesn't smell nice at the time, but the honey is lovely.

[philcooper]

I agree with composting the weeds.

If you can add anything that would make it heat up a bit as they are both a bit woody, nettles are great but grass cuttings will help, make sure they mix is wet enough (pee - or get a male helper to - on it if it's dry)

Phil

[katynewbie]

Thanks Phil...have male friends only too happy to help....got a tip about freezing kitchen waste til you have enough, any minute now there will be more compost than anything else on the plot!!

[Andy H]

MMMmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Freezing waste till enough, sounds like a good idea, anyone else tried it?

[philcooper]

The only trouble is the freezer will very soon be filling up with produce, but in the mean time it sounds as though it is worth a trial

Phil

PS should we be "blanching" the waste before freezing  ;)

[katynewbie]

Phil...re "blanching" Not sure but I have not done this, just chopped up stuff roughly and bunged it in in bags. Will be adding it to the bin after it has defrosted and I have enough to make a decent layer. Also have all my mates doing the same thing so that I have largeish amounts. Watch this space!!

[redimp]

I load mine bit by bit into a bin from home.  When about half full, I transfer to a big tub for transportation up to oneof the bins up the lottie.

[Andy H]

me too! I have baby clip top dustbin about 2 ft high which we bung all the stuff in and torn up loo rolls etc, when full it is added to compo bin at plot.sometimes I mow between all the plots or rather the big path down the middle,loads of grass! Add to compo or mulch beans with.