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Plastic free compost?

TinyGardenGIrlTinyGardenGIrl Posts: 169
in Tools and techniques
Hi,
Does anybody know of any way i can purchase compost without contributing more to our plastic waste problem? They come in plastic bags normally. I'm wondering if there are any alternatives.

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I save my compost bags and re-use them as rubbish bags.
    We can put out our household waste in any colour bag except pink (coz that's the colour of the re-cycle bags).
    We have weekly collections, but I only put a household waste bag out once every 2-3 weeks.
    The rubbish bin in my kitchen is used only for anything that can go on the compost heap.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    We use ours  for rubbish, I haven’t bought Black dustbins for years.  Also turn them inside out for finishing off spring bulbs, you can grow veg in them just make a few holes about 2” up from the bottom.   Good for tomato plants. 

    I thought the OP was going to ask about the bits of plastic that you find in the compost, along with bits of glass, stones etc. 😀
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Loose compost would be a problem for me as I usually buy in bulk as I dont drive, so open bags wouldn't store well. I too reuse my bags for all sorts of things.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    I buy composts loose from the council, but that's not much help to you. If you have space to store it to age you could buy/beg some horse manure, it's often given away and if you ask nicely they probably have some old feed bags you can use as well.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    @TinyGardenGIrl Many companies deliver in bulk to the door. If you have a place to leave it, they will upend a dump truck or leave a large, very useful, dumpy bag. It's much more economical than buying bags of compost. You can store it in your garden if you don't need a lot at once. I do bulk deliveries with a set of neighbours. Works very well.
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    edited April 2019
    I try not to bin useful plastic bags or tubs e.t.c the trouble is I'm having to store all of these very useful plastic items some I've had for years, it's a good job that they don't take up too much room.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    The 50 litre compost bags are incredibly useful. I roll them and store them for later use. I'm having building work done at the moment and have used lots of compost bags. Also good for storing leaves to make leaf litter, lining planters, taking stuff to the dump etc.... They are so strong.
  • TinyGardenGIrlTinyGardenGIrl Posts: 169
    Some great ideas that i will be using. Thank you very much for your replies. I like the idea of planting inside them in particular but will be trying many of those mentioned  :)
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I use them for lining hanging baskets, make some drainage holes 2/3” up from the bottom, not at the bottom, they’ll hold some damp then. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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