Commercial potting composts have been "cooked" at a higher temperature than can be achieved in domestic compost bins and that helps kill of weed seeds and any pathogens that would compete with or harm precious seedlings. It is also fertilised at different levels suitable for seeds and cuttings or potting on or full grown plants and, in the UK, further divided into loam-based John Innes, more fibrous Levingtons and ericaceous for lime-haters.
Obelixx what sort of temperature would be needed to cook home made compost to get rid of the weed seeds & pathogens ? the reason I ask is I have an electric oven and a generator that I could use ,also could I add fertiliser such as BF&B or Grow more type stuff ? thanks in advance .
it really needs to go about 60 degree C, 70 degrees would be better to kill weed seeds, any more than that and the organic matter in the compost might start to burn off/decompose too much
I buy bags of topsoil for the garden. If for use in the main garden I don't sieve but I also use it on the lawn with grass seed so I do sieve that.Any lumps and bits get chucked on the garden! Depends really what you are using it for.
“Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
I have been known to microwave compost to sterilise it....
We do sieve as we use our own compost for lots of things. We have an old window frame where have replaced glass with chicken wire. We prop it up at 45 degreees over a tarpaulin and chuck compost at it with a shovel as we empty the bin. About half goes through which is used for fine stuff, and the rest that doesn’t gets used for mulch.
I sieve my homemade compost and have 6 different sizes from small to massive one which I made to fit over a large wheelbarrow. I used fencing mesh as its stronger than chicken wire and lasts a very long time. I do this because I don't want stuff that is not fully composted and I use this for potting not mulching. My potatoe sieves are great for getting stones out too.
I also sieve bought compost as its so compacted when you you buy this, makes is useless for potting up plants.
I have 2 compost bins tend to fill one while using the other bin, when I am composting the bins don't get warm and I do tend to get a lot of weeds from the compost is the anything that I can do
Pour neat urine on to act as a source of Nitrogen to activate the bacteria. Give it a stir around with a fork to add oxygen. Mine don't get warm in winter. In the Spring I mix the whole lot up with fresh grass mowings and stir it two or three times a week. It usually gets hot then. Don't use grass mowings if you have treated the lawn with lawn weedkiller.
I don't add anything with a seed head on it. I send all noxious perennial weeds to the council to compost (brown bin). So no bindweed, comfrey roots, ground elder, dock roots or any weed that has seeds on it. Mainly my compost is kitchen peelings, any cut flowers from the house, grass cuttings, all hedge trimmings and woody stuff I put through the shredder first. I am about to cut down the autumn fruiting raspberries, and the bean haulms. They will get shredded and added to the heap.
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If for use in the main garden I don't sieve but I also use it on the lawn with grass seed so I do sieve that.Any lumps and bits get chucked on the garden!
Depends really what you are using it for.
We do sieve as we use our own compost for lots of things. We have an old window frame where have replaced glass with chicken wire. We prop it up at 45 degreees over a tarpaulin and chuck compost at it with a shovel as we empty the bin. About half goes through which is used for fine stuff, and the rest that doesn’t gets used for mulch.
All made this summer.