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What NOT to put in the compost bin...
PollyR
Posts: 64
Evening Gardeners,
I'm having a bit of a weeding session this evening. There is plenty of bindweed and brambles, and I have always avoided putting these in the compost bin - am I right in doing so or would they be ok to put in there? What about other general unidentified weeds?
Thanks!
0
Posts
I wouldn't add things like bindweed, as they can regenerate so easily, and 'home' compost bins don't often get hot enough to kill everything. Brambles are the same, and also very tough so I think I'd leave those out too.
Anything which regenerates very easily from little bits of root would be the ones to avoid. You can leave some of the more stubborn ones (dandelions, buttercups etc) out in the sun to shrivel up completely before adding them, but I tend not to put those in either, just to be on the safe side
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I agree. Anything like dandelions or bindweed get left in the sun to shrivel and then get put in the green waste bin. By shrivelling your waste you can get more packed in!
Whatever you do don't put old spuds in the heap as they will germinate - I found out the hard way!
I put these things in my heap: grass cuttings, peelings, banana skins rescued from bins at work (!), hair from my hairbrush, hair combed from my long haired cat, tea bags, shredded news paper (but not glossy paper), animal bedding courtesy of the guinea pig next door (unfortunately he has gone to the great hutch in the sky - he died of old age the other week),the contents of my vacuum cleaner (dust and more pet/human hair) fallen petals, dead headed flowers, coffee grounds/grinds from work, nail clippings, very tiny teeny weeny annual weeds, crushed egg shells (rinsed before they go in).
I then give it a good old turning over with a garden fork and a watering every now and again during this hot weather. it's like stirring up a great big pudding and very satisfying.
I don't put brambles, dandelions, buttercups, daisy, teasel heads, or any any tomato pips. Anything that has seeds that you don't want next year.
I don't put in bindweed or ground elder roots . Pretty much everything else goes in. If it still looks alive when I turn it out, it gets chucked back in Bin 1 to have another cycle.
I like the bonus of a few spuds as I go along.
Great, thanks! I'll be keeping the grotty weeds for the council bin then. I must admit, I like the odd surprise potato but didn't realise I could add vacuum cleaner dust and cat hair - that shall be going in!
What CAN go in.....Newspapers, non glossy mags, or junk mail, all envelopes, removed the plastic window first, cardboard boxes, sellotape removed. Paper hankies. Kitchen roll that hasn't been used to mop up blood from meat. Hair From home cutting, Old compost from pots. The list goes on and on.?
Last edited: 02 June 2017 09:38:47
gentlemen can save their erm.... recyled beer for addition too.
A discreetly place watering can or bucket is useful for the collection of same.