Hi all is it safe to put all weeds in a compost bin, I have 3 of those black bins they do very well but can I put weeds in like dandelion roots and clumps of grass in?
Best not to put in anything diseased either. Domestic compost heaps don't usually get hot enough to destroy mould spores, weed seeds or perennial roots.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
I have put bindweed, docks, nettles in fact everything into my plastic dalek the secret is to stop any light getting in and leaving it for two years, to grow, plants need moisture, food and light you can’t prevent the weed getting the first two but you can keep them in the dark I started one off which was full by May 2014, now last year was sunny and that bin got red hot by this May it had rotted down to rich dark compost but just to make sure I won't use it until next spring. I have another one which was full by May this year and is part rotted and will be left until spring 2017, I am filling another one which should be full by next spring. These are just filled with plant matter which I don't want in my open pallet composter. I cleared a piece of ground and had a lot of bindweed which would have been too much to put in the dalek so I have double bagged it and left it in the sun all summer, it has started to rot and I will probably add it to this year’s dalek next spring to rot for another 12 months. You could also drown weeds like docks before adding it to an open type composter it's something that I haven't done myself but I have heard that it works. All plant matter will compost given the right conditions but as has been said take care composting diseased material.
I put anything persistant into a lidded bucket filled with water for a few months to die. Or layer them in a bin bag with wet grass and leave in direct sun to rot.
Mares tale no that's quite a different thing but I don't have that, persistent weeds have loads of goodness going to waste trace elements the lot why wouldn't you compost them it's free.
I do keep the green for the bin, just throw any the roots. We have a good council service, they will collect five big bags of waste a fortnight for free.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
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I dont put perenial weeds in such as ground elder,buttercup or dandelion, but cut the green off and put in just not the roots or seeds heads.
I dont put in tomatoes with seeds in them they spring up all over your garden and never anything cooked.
Best not to put in anything diseased either. Domestic compost heaps don't usually get hot enough to destroy mould spores, weed seeds or perennial roots.
I have put bindweed, docks, nettles in fact everything into my plastic dalek the secret is to stop any light getting in and leaving it for two years, to grow, plants need moisture, food and light you can’t prevent the weed getting the first two but you can keep them in the dark I started one off which was full by May 2014, now last year was sunny and that bin got red hot by this May it had rotted down to rich dark compost but just to make sure I won't use it until next spring. I have another one which was full by May this year and is part rotted and will be left until spring 2017, I am filling another one which should be full by next spring. These are just filled with plant matter which I don't want in my open pallet composter. I cleared a piece of ground and had a lot of bindweed which would have been too much to put in the dalek so I have double bagged it and left it in the sun all summer, it has started to rot and I will probably add it to this year’s dalek next spring to rot for another 12 months. You could also drown weeds like docks before adding it to an open type composter it's something that I haven't done myself but I have heard that it works. All plant matter will compost given the right conditions but as has been said take care composting diseased material.
Hello , I don' t believe you should put horsetail ( mares tail ) in the compost bin
Personally I don't put weeds in my bins at the allottment , I would rather take it the tip
Got enough weeds with out the problem of adding a few more
I put anything persistant into a lidded bucket filled with water for a few months to die. Or layer them in a bin bag with wet grass and leave in direct sun to rot.
Mares tale no that's quite a different thing but I don't have that, persistent weeds have loads of goodness going to waste trace elements the lot why wouldn't you compost them it's free.
Grass cuttings go in but not couch grass or any grass with roots still attached.
I do keep the green for the bin, just throw any the roots. We have a good council service, they will collect five big bags of waste a fortnight for free.
I also put spent compost from the greenhouse in the compost bins as well they are all at the allotment
like Zoomer I also dry weeds on a pallet and burn but if bad wether due it's the tip , in fact off there this morning
we also have a garden wheelie bin collected every 2 weeks which we have to pay extra for which always gets filled from garden waste
nothing wrong with composting weeds , that joy of gardening everybody can do it there own way