[New shoot]

I would have thought putting any tubers to compost would encourage volunteer plants next year?

You are quite right.  I have had volunteer plants from potato peelings before now, including the mighty super spud that I mentioned in my diary last year 

https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=129333.msg1517423#msg1517423

I got a whole carrier bag of spuds from this plant in the end, so all was well 

[Ema]

I would get a bag of horse manure from a stables ideally partly rotted and full of worms that will get your compost alive and kicking.

Personally I’m trying not to use plastics in the garden and would hate to see good compost ruined with polystyrene balls that some rodent has decided to kindly distribute through your compost.

Have you thought about buying a thermometer to check what temperature you are currently achieving? A layer or 2 of cardboard on top should help. 

[ches]

I would get a bag of horse manure from a stables ideally partly rotted and full of worms that will get your compost alive and kicking.

Personally I’m trying not to use plastics in the garden and would hate to see good compost ruined with polystyrene balls that some rodent has decided to kindly distribute through your compost.

Have you thought about buying a thermometer to check what temperature you are currently achieving? A layer or 2 of cardboard on top should help.

Hi Ema,

I've insulated the wooden compost bay with a foil blanket, I too decided to stay away from polystyrene for the same reasons. I have a thermometer in work that i'm taking home for a "borrow" this weekend. I remember watching a Charles Dowding video recently where he stated the temperature should be around 55Deg C, does this sound about right?

[Yorkie]

I think I may need to do some research on recognising blight. I would have thought putting any tubers to compost would encourage volunteer plants next year?

Indeed 

[Grubbypaws]

I have just found this advice, which seems to make complete sense.

Can potato plants with late blight be composted? If care is taken the answer is yes. Blight spores can only survive on living plant tissue, once the foliage has been cut it will die and so will the blight pathogen. Potato tubers, on the other hand, are still alive so can harbour the disease. Most re-infection comes from 'volunteers' the tubers that resprout the next year, which should be rigorously removed as soon as they are seen.

One site suggests only composting the foliage that is above soil level so that you don't accidently miss tiny tubers and put living plant tissue affected with blight into your compost.

[Grubbypaws]

But another site that I have just read ends its advice with 'yes, they can technically be composted but in basic heaps, it’s probably not worth the risk' 

[ches]

I have just found this advice, which seems to make complete sense.

Can potato plants with late blight be composted? If care is taken the answer is yes. Blight spores can only survive on living plant tissue, once the foliage has been cut it will die and so will the blight pathogen. Potato tubers, on the other hand, are still alive so can harbour the disease. Most re-infection comes from 'volunteers' the tubers that resprout the next year, which should be rigorously removed as soon as they are seen.

One site suggests only composting the foliage that is above soil level so that you don't accidently miss tiny tubers and put living plant tissue affected with blight into your compost.

I agree it makes perfect sense. From now on i'll only be composting 'above ground foliage'

Thanks GP

[New shoot]

I think a basic heap means a compost heap just left for months that is not rotting properly.  One of those piled up messes that you see on allotment sites that just gets added to and never makes any compost.

If you use a mix of stuff, cover the heap and get it cooking, potato foliage lasts no time at all.  My bins are not hot bins as such, but they break down stuff very fast 

[ches]

I think a basic heap means a compost heap just left for months that is not rotting properly.  One of those piled up messes that you see on allotment sites that just gets added to and never makes any compost.

If you use a mix of stuff, cover the heap and get it cooking, potato foliage lasts no time at all.  My bins are not hot bins as such, but they break down stuff very fast 

Whats the turn-around time on your bins?

[New shoot]

Whats the turn-around time on your bins?

I usually empty out bins about every 6 months as that suits me for using the compost at the points when most of the plot is either being cleared in autumn, or is empty prior to the spring planting season.  A hot bin can work in half that if you get it right.

As the bins are stacked and start working, the contents sink rapidly, so it can take a few goes to get them full, but then you get a big load of compost back out.  If anything isn’t rotted enough, I chuck it back in a bin I am filling for another go.

Regarding nasty weeds that Grubbypaws wants to compost. There are a few I don’t put in without prior treatment - buttercups, couch grass, bindweed and dandelions. Treatment consists of leaving them out in the sun to dry to a crisp, or soaking in water. Both take a few weeks and the water option makes for a stinky old brew, but the compost heaps seem to like it   

[Grubbypaws]

Sorted! Above ground foliage in the compost and nasty weeds soaking in a stinky brew. No need to pay the council £50 a year now for the infrequently used garden waste bin

[ches]

Sorted! Above ground foliage in the compost and nasty weeds soaking in a stinky brew. No need to pay the council £50 a year now for the infrequently used garden waste bin

Agreed. Same here!

[Plot 1 Problems]

Another thing I'd mention, if you have enough space, have two bins side by side and turn the heap between them every couple of months to keep plenty of air in the compost. In the heat of the Summer I can get 1m cubed of material to turn to compost in 3 months this way.

[New shoot]

Another thing I'd mention, if you have enough space, have two bins side by side and turn the heap between them every couple of months to keep plenty of air in the compost. In the heat of the Summer I can get 1m cubed of material to turn to compost in 3 months this way.

I have enough space and enough bins, but am hampered by laziness    It is the right way to get the compost cooked fast, but I must admit I don't turn mine   

I have noticed that growing something on top of the heap really helps break things down as well.  You need a well stacked bin that has gone through the initial sinking down and topping up process.  I shovel a decent layer of plot soil on top and plant courgettes and squashes this way sometimes.  You need a solid sided or lined bin that won't lose moisture all the time and it will need more watering than a plant in the ground, but you can get some great crops.  I should say I have 5 wooden bins and 2 plastic dalek bins, so have plenty of bins to have in various stages and compost everything I can get my hands on 

Perhaps I need to add compostaholic to my CV 

[New shoot]

Opened a bin today that I filled last year around late spring/early summer.  It took a few weeks to fill as everything is green stuff around that time of year, so it sinks down fast and needs refilling a few times.

It is a slatted sided wooden bin about 1m x 1m, lined with split open compost bags and covered with the same.  Together with a couple of dalek bins, it was my mulching and spring soil prep supplies for the small plot.

A few twiggy bits left to chuck back in another bin, but this is what I got.