Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: nickthegreek on October 13, 2009, 20:08

Title: free compost from council
Post by: nickthegreek on October 13, 2009, 20:08
trying to search the web to see if my local council offer free compost but cant seem to find anything is it something they do ?

They are out in force sweeping leaves up now they can be used was gonna try and see if I could aquire some of these !!
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: Yorkie on October 13, 2009, 20:16
Some do, some don't  ::)

Without knowing your location nobody can advise you about your particular area - I suggest you edit your profile?

Your best bet is to contact your local recycling officer and ask.
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: nickthegreek on October 13, 2009, 20:30
Will do im in plymouth sorry!
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: Steve.B on October 13, 2009, 20:33
Not keen on road sweepings! no idea what's in them......
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: nickthegreek on October 13, 2009, 20:54
see what you mean meant like on grass area around parks etc that they sweep up
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: aelf on October 13, 2009, 21:53
we get free deliveries of surplus compost from the council. It's made from the green bin waste collections. Sounds great in principle but you have no idea what has gone into the compost from peoples gardens - poisenous plants, weedkiller and worse. Some on our plot who have used it have found it full of weed seed and woody material.

I steer clear of it, just in case.
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: Ivah on October 13, 2009, 22:48
I went road sweeping today. Filled a builders bag, aiming for six!
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: noshed on October 14, 2009, 10:17
Council compost is fine - it's heated up to a high temperature so it kills most things. It can be a bit woody sometimes - pine cones etc after Christmas but we use it OK.
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: madcat on October 14, 2009, 10:44
So do we ...  puts lots of humus into the soil.  We always mix it with other stuff - our compost, horse manure, whatever and it does fine.  Of course we would prefer to be self sufficient and know everything that goes on the land, but life isn't perfect. 
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: peterjf on October 14, 2009, 12:54
hull city council are cureently selling treated compost to agriculture ( farmers ),

then once the recycling is in "full swing"  they say they are to pass on the treated

 compost to hull allotment keepers at cost price

there are some 22 allotment site in the hull area ,

we at newland have a 26 acre site which has 245 x 250 sq yard plots
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: LittleRedHen on October 14, 2009, 13:13
We have a brown bin from the council that is collected every other week and we put all the weeds and nasty stuff from our garden into it.  All the good bits go into our own recycle bins.  Knowing this, I don't think I would be too keen to take council free compost.  I know they probably cook the daylights out of it , but still . . . .
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: JayG on October 14, 2009, 13:29
We have a brown bin from the council that is collected every other week and we put all the weeds and nasty stuff from our garden into it.  All the good bits go into our own recycle bins.  Knowing this, I don't think I would be too keen to take council free compost.  I know they probably cook the daylights out of it , but still . . . .


I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members. (Groucho Marx)
 :blush:
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: LittleRedHen on October 14, 2009, 15:06
Hhhhmmmm, good point.  I guess if it is really treated with high heat it should be fine.  Good value then.  The only way one would know if it is any good is to try it.
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: greenhead on October 14, 2009, 15:25
We (Worcestershire) used to get free compost once a year from the council for our allotment but no more!!  Rates go up, services go down. :(
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: Kristen on October 14, 2009, 20:32
I guess if it is really treated with high heat it should be fine.  Good value then.  The only way one would know if it is any good is to try it.

I don't think that temperature is enough.

Chemicals like Clopyralid (present in Verdone Extra) specifically say "Do not compost; do not put in council composting bins". I struggle to believe that 100% of the Great British Public will honour that requirement.

Clopyralid is related to aminopyralid  - which can survive a journey through a ruminants' belly, or a compost heap, and go on to kill again-and-again-and-again :(
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: bonfire on October 15, 2009, 00:06
Look on your Council website and contact them direct. I think you'll find Plymouth refer you to commercial producers - it's a pity but free services are exceptions now.

As for rates going up and services down. It costs money for a Council to collect sort and process compost. I don't mind paying my way and I don't particularly want my pastimes subsidised when there are so many other calls on Council tax funds. My allotment from Lewes Town Council is fantastic value and I get brilliant service from the people I deal with there so I am not going to join in any moaning.
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: aelf on October 15, 2009, 10:52
I guess if it is really treated with high heat it should be fine.  Good value then.  The only way one would know if it is any good is to try it.

I don't think that temperature is enough.

Chemicals like Clopyralid (present in Verdone Extra) specifically say "Do not compost; do not put in council composting bins". I struggle to believe that 100% of the Great British Public will honour that requirement.

Clopyralid is related to aminopyralid  - which can survive a journey through a ruminants' belly, or a compost heap, and go on to kill again-and-again-and-again :(

kristen is right. It's not just some of the weedkillers that are unaffected by heat treatment, people throw all sorts of other chemicles in. An aquaintence of mine killed his leylandii by pouring diesel all over them then, a week at a time, cut each plant up and put it in the collection bin. He didn't care about the ground as he was going to flag it. Who knows what else goes in? I don't want to risk contaminating my plot, that's why I stay away from it.
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: PlymouthMaid on October 15, 2009, 16:36
No, pretty sure that Plymouth doesn't give free compost or much of free anything else for that matter.
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: sclarke624 on October 15, 2009, 17:43
trying to search the web to see if my local council offer free compost but cant seem to find anything is it something they do ?

They are out in force sweeping leaves up now they can be used was gonna try and see if I could aquire some of these !!

I know compost from the council sounds good but when I had it once it had glass in it bits of plastic pots, plastic bag bits and  all sorts.
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: nickthegreek on October 15, 2009, 19:55
Look on your Council website and contact them direct. I think you'll find Plymouth refer you to commercial producers - it's a pity but free services are exceptions now.

As for rates going up and services down. It costs money for a Council to collect sort and process compost. I don't mind paying my way and I don't particularly want my pastimes subsidised when there are so many other calls on Council tax funds. My allotment from Lewes Town Council is fantastic value and I get brilliant service from the people I deal with there so I am not going to join in any moaning.

understand totally and agree with you 100% but I could of sworn that years ago I can remember them giving it away in a big carpark in the centre of plymouth they give wood chippings "mulch" away on certain days that I do know..
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: Alby on October 16, 2009, 12:32
My local CC sell the organic compost loose ( by the tonne ) £50 delivered to thr plot .

  Alby
Title: Re: free compost from council
Post by: hightide on October 16, 2009, 23:30
Our council operates a Garden Waste Collection Service fortnightly via large brown wheelie bins; after the brown waste is processed the surplus is offered free. Now in no way is this compost, it is a carbon rich humus with no nutrient value intended for use as a mulch or as a soil improver, and by golly used as such it is brilliant!
Hertfordshire is clay and flint :mad:
this stuff breaks the soil up beautifully and turns the clay soil dark and manageable. :)
This material used to be delivered by our council to our allotments free, but as so often happens rising costs have curtailed this service; however I am more than happy to go and shrink their heap. ;)