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weedkiller in peat-free compost??

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  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307

    On the point of 'greenwaste' We have a thing we call the non-compost heap. This is where all the things like dandelion roots, couch, dock etc go. It is covered up so that no water can get to it and it has been left for 3 yeras now. I have opened it up, in the past and the material is beautiful, well rotted and as far as I can tell, weed seed free. At least in the area where I have used it there are no extra dandelions etc.

    Now, in theory, the heat produced in the green waste composting process, ought to be enough to kill off all seeds. I am not saying it does, but that is the theory.

  • A HotBin, operating well , will get up to in excess of 60 Celcius - which will kill weed seeds. The trick in a compost heap/bin is to ensure all of the material gets to over 60 - mixing it up helps but its often all a bit marginal - which is where the weed seeds creep in unkilled.

    I put my finished compost in empty raised beds in the spring and leave them to germinate anything left - like a "stale" seed bed - that way I can see if anything undesirable has been left! image

     

    If you want to see my thoughts on the HotBin ( and my composting set up and garden) go to www.the-compostbin.com and have a look at what I get up to image

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