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Composting marigold seed heads

nikkidenham1965nikkidenham1965 Posts: 6
in The potting shed
We bought our house last year and the front garden has lots of Marigolds which self seed. I dug them all out last year and they have regrown. I do like them but would rather not have so many. Most of my garden time is spent in dead heading and cutting them back. I want to start a compost bin and want to know if I put the seed heads in will they survive or should I brown bin them?

Posts

  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    Personally I wouldn't put any seeds in my compost (at least not on purpose) as it doesn't get hot enough to kill them. Found that out the hard way when my veg patch was suddenly covered in tomato plants  :D 
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Due to Covid I was unable to get fresh compost earlier this year, but I had a compost bin full of well rotted compost, so I sieved and used that. It looked lovely.

    But... I had previously composted a lot of nicotiana sylvestris, and that's what caused my problems this year...

    Parsley - not yet, but nicotiana sylvestris has germinated first!
    All my seed pots and trays were the same this year


    They are everywhere!!!!
    Soon as I pull them out, more appear.
    Just as well I find it equally amusing as annoying :)




    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    Do you mean the immature green seeds from deadheading? I don’t think there should be a problem putting them in the compost bin.
  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    @Pete.8 That’s amazing! Had a similar problem with lobelia. I had it sprouting everywhere after reusing some compost. 
  • nikkidenham1965nikkidenham1965 Posts: 6
    Thanks, I think I will brown bin them just in case 👍
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    You could soak them in water for a few weeks before pouring it on to your compost, that will kill the seeds.  Just toss seedlings or unbloomed flowers straight on.  
    Utah, USA.
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