[NASH]

I was thinking i could compost the top of couch but not the root, would i be right ? Are there any others to watch out for, what about nettles ?

[tode]

In theory, a well-heated heap will kill all seeds and roots, but I've found that it's best to be a bit selective (not having a "perfect" heap).
I burn anything that is obviously seeding, and any roots of nasties like couch, ground elder and bindweed. Then the ashes go on the compost.
Good luck.

[NASH]

Thanks for your help, I am taking a petrol generator I have and a shredder down to chop up the stalks of my Sweetcorn so I am wondering what else to put through it.

[tode]

That's one piece of equipment I could do with 

Your heap will certainly heat up better if you can shred all the woody stuff.
I seem to remember that it's not good to put a lot of evergreens like leylandii in, but I can't remember why.

[viettaclark]

Fir is very acidic but if you balance with some lime wouldn't it be ok? I was told not to compost moss but I'm risking it because the chooks scarify the grass and their poo is mixed in with the moss scrachings. I would think the poo would create a high enough temperature to kill off moss spores!

[Brambles]

I too try to burn roots and seeds of the perenial weeds just in case my compost heap does not get hot enough to destroy them, my ash too goes on the compost.

[NASH]

Not allowed fires on my plot

[tode]

What do you do with all the nasty bits, then ?

[viettaclark]

Has anyone found that tomato seeds can survive ANYTHING? Even with a steaming compost heap you can be sure there'll be rogue tomato plants springing up after you dig it in!!!

[Trillium]

Best way to handle pernicious roots and seeds such as dandelions, couch, bindweed, etc is to put them in a barrel of water and weighted down to let them liquefy into a very rich fertilizer. Its in one of Bob Flowerdew's books and works a treat although it stinks something awful around the barrel.

[NASH]

What do you do with all the nasty bits, then ?

I put them in my skip in work.

[tode]

If we couldn't have a fire from time to time, we'd be in real trouble.  That's a bit of a bind,
NASH.

[gypsy]

There are too many fires and wood burning stoves on our allotments, sometimes I have to go home as the smoke from stuff with paint on it really hurts my throat and chest. I feel sorry for the people who live near by, if they put their washing out to dry it will smell like a kipperI and they can not have much pleasure sitting in a smoky garden. I bag up any weeds, take them home and bin them. CC

[grumpydad]

all our non compostables, come home and go for the council recycling, wood gets cut up and used as kindling at home, all the rest goes into builders ton sand bags, which are used as compost bins, 4 stakes in the corners to support them, cut them open when they are full, they were going to be skipped anyway as they are non returnable, so they get 1 extra life

martyn

[Brambles]

yes viettaclark...  I have had about 10lbs of excellent (unknown make) tomatoes that self seeded and were allowed to fruit, could only have come from my compost or a friendly bird flying overhead.  There were some obviously gardeners delight and some really large ones... all very tasty