[Little Dibber]

Hi there,

I am having my first go at a veg plot this year having just bought our first house.  

There is about 30m of communal border gone to perennial weeds, mostly willowherb, docs and nettles now all about waist height, I was thinking to shred it and add it to the compost heap.

Had considered running the lawn mower over it but I think it is to much to be using the mower on, any suggestions on either the practicality of pulling it out by hand bit by bit and using the mower or biting the bullet and getting a shredder.

I have read a lot about shredders that just clog with soft weeds so would appreciate some suggestions on those better suited to softer garden waste.

Thanks,
Ally

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi there!!!  Well I for one don't shred weeds, they will rot down anyway, but don't add perennials like docks and nettles etc straight in your compost heap, as they will regrow from any little bits of root.  What i did with some of mine last year, was to put them in an old plastic dustbin then fill with water.  drown the plants in that for weeks or months, then put them on your compost.  You can then use the water ( a nice cold weed tea!!!) on your garden, to give some nutrients back to the soil!

What I've done this year is that we had one of those 1tonne bags that had pebbles delivered in.  I put it next to my compost heaps and all my nettles and docks are going straight in there, with no dirt or anything til they rot down enough.

But someone else will be along soon with another idea!!!!!    

[compostqueen]

I'd dry em off in the sun. We've had a couple of really hot days when cut weeds dry so you can burn them or compost em.  I can't really get a good blaze going cos of the folks next to my lotty so I have to drip feed my lotty  fire bin, or go back about 10.00 pm..  I like to compost the bulk of my weeds though as you always need lots of homemade compo  

I keep turning my weeds so those under get turned to the top and so on til they're really frazzled.  Make hay while the sunshines.

[Little Dibber]

Thank you both, will go for some kind of wither them a bit before they go in the bin, just having got started on the veg patch, I was hoping to be getting some compost as quickly as possible and thinking that shredding them would speed up the hot heap action.

Might try nipping the roots off and they can have their own special scorch bin and the stems go in the compost bin that bit sooner.

I have my first batch of nettle tea on the brew at the moment, is stinking and added a little to the watering can tonight, does it need to be diluted or can it go on the veg neat?

I put my nettle tea bucket in the compost bin a couple of weeks ago when it was really hot after mowing the lawn and that seemed to have infused the brew quite quickly.

Have just found out it is £40 to get an additional wheelie bin water butt from the council so might be a while before I am collecting lots of water outside to make more nettle brew.

Love this site, just after finding it a couple of days ago.

ally

[compostqueen]

nettle brew should be diluted to the colour of weak tea    Stinky brew is usually good as a feed but helps deter rabbits and pigeons as they don't like the taste - apparently - but knowing some wildlife they'll lap it up  :roll:  It's a jungle out there  

[noshed]

B&Q waterbutts are a bit cheaper than that, or try Wilkos.
Whereabouts are you roughly? It helps to know - you can put it in your thing on the left.