spent hops

[diver]

I am new to this site and to allotments. I have just cleared mine of knee high couch grass and am anxious to get started. I am having a go at compost making and have found a small local brewer who is willing to give me a black bag full of wet spent hops each week.....can anyone tell me if I can put these into the compost bin, or dig them straight into the ground or use them as a mulch....the people on my allotment have no idea....help please

[diver]

[tim]

Lucky old you!!

Grab 'em - dig 'em in. Or mulch in the 'summer'. = Tim

[wivvles]

See this thread for further advice:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=5812

Worth doing just for the wonderful beery smell....

[supersprout]

Lucky you ;D! My small local brewer does the same, see little pic (white bags). I just throw on a thick mulch of spent hops when plants are big enough to peek out of the top. The worms do the rest. Local lore says unlike fresh manure they don't rob the soil or burn plants.

Other ways to use, from my neighbours:
- Leave the bags for ages to 'mature', then dig in (smell is not so nice as fresh, whew :-X)
- Use fresh instead of manure for double digging
- 'Scrobble' the hops into the top layer with a cultivator
- Put in trenches before planting spuds
- Put on the compost heap as a 'wet' layer
- Use full bags for holding down black plastic!