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tree roots growing up into compost bin

emerbemerb Posts: 28
in Problem solving
I have two dalek style compost bins at the bottom of the garden, which I admit, I haven't been turning properly. Now I've found that the bottom 15-20cm are full of tree roots, most likely from the ash tree on the far side of the garden wall.

Can I use these bits that are full of roots? I presume all the nutrients have been gobbled by the tree but it'd still be handy as a mulch.

Is there any way to prevent this from happening? There's no space elsewhere in the garden for the compost bins.

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Pull out any bits of root if you can.  Stand the daleks on thick black plastic. The worms will still get in somehow, but the roots won't.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Yes I guess it might be a bit depleted, but absolutely still worth using. A concrete base or paving slabs is the way to go!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Ash trees have lots of surface roots ... we had two here ... the roots grew upwards into our raised vegetable beds 🙄. 

    We had one tree felled as it had Chalara  ...  now the other also has it and it is being pollarded. Hopefully we’ll have fewer problems with the roots but there’ll still be somewhere for the birds. 🤞 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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