[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

Evening all,

I put some home made compost in to 3 large pots about 6 weeks ago and I now have thousands of tiny seedlings in the pots germinating.

It's like a sea of green!

I know it's not what I planted, as I planted salad potatoes.

Does this mean my compost is not ready?

[Nikkithefoot]

Most home made composts don't get hot enough to kill off weed seeds.

When you make your compost in future make sure you don't put seed heads in the compost, that way you will reduce the risk of this happening again

[Annen]

What you can do (so I am told) is let the weedlings grow and pull them before you plant your crop.  That's the theory, I've never had the patience.

[mumofstig]

Commercial sold compost is supposed to be sterile - oldtimers used to sterilise their own composts and soil in a fire 
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=83033.msg926261#msg926261


some modern methods here
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Soil/sterile.htm

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

So, I planted some broadbean in my compost.....

And I still have thousands of seedlings coming up.....

Even loads of Nettles.....

Any other suggestions...., or is there anything else I can do.... I''ve got about 500 litres of it..... but its not growing on the compost, just when I put it in a pot.

[Totty]

Give it a mix about, expose more of the weed seeds and pull them before you use it if possible.

Totty

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

OK, will do. It's such a pain 

[Goosegirl]

Try just scruffling your hand over the seedlings or use the edge of a small blade to damage them and pull some out as well.

[3759allen]

pretty sure mine will have a few weed seeds in it that will germinate when in the correct conditions. i was just going to pull the weed seedlings out when they germinate. once they've germinated and been pulled end of problem.

i had some weeds come up in my leaf mulch that i've got ready to add to my home made compost mix for the tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. since i pulled the seedlings out nothing else has come through, so hopefully the same will happen with the compost.

[superpete]

if you're planting big seed like beans or potatoes in your compost, a half inch layer of hort. sand on top should prevent the weed growth I think