[crowndale]

Just had a thought, how do you dispose of the sweetcorn stalks once you pull them up?  I know it's a bit early in the year but I stuck mine in the compost lst year and they are still there! Intact, mostly still very woody.  Should I have shredded them first?

[niclala]

We've been putting the woodier stuff from the garden onto the lawn, then running over it a couple of times with the lawnmower to shred it a bit. It definitely helps it to break down quicker in the compost heap.

[crowndale]

Might try it with the shredder, don't fancy my chances with the lawn mower, plus I'd have to rake it all up again and I am inherantly lazy! But good to know it breaks down better once shredded.

[ruffmesiter_69]

ours havent composted down yet from last year hopefully they wiill be down by the end of the year but chop them up small as possible and then add them to the compost

[milkman]

give the stalks a good bash with a substantially sized hammer to break them down (advise wearing protective goggles when performing this operation), then chop 'em up with a spade or equivalent sharp instrument.  They will then compost a treat.  

It is also a good way of working through any unvented frustrations.

This advise also works for chunky brassica stems too.  

[flowerlady]

If you have a wood shredder gizzmo that helps too