What weeds can be composted?

Elm street · « **on:** October 13, 2014, 17:23 »

Hi all,
I have finished making my compost bins and with the time of year and all the green matter etc. on the plot,
Which, if any, of the weeds can go in the compost bins with the rest of the material from the plot?

Many thanks in advance,
Mel

Yorkie · « **Reply #1 on:** October 13, 2014, 17:51 »

I avoid any the roots of perennial weeds, and any plants that have set seed.

My compost bin does not get that hot, so I cannot rely on it to kill seeds.

I also avoid diseased material for the same reason.

Annen · « **Reply #2 on:** October 13, 2014, 19:25 »

My rule of thumb is anything with a big tap root goes in a bucket of water aka the sin bin, and fibrous rooted things go on the compost heap, trying to avoid anything that has seeds.

Baldy · « **Reply #3 on:** October 13, 2014, 20:08 »

My nettle tea bin is hosting a lot of other weeds (docks etc) this winter and old spuds etc... Will be chucked in the compost bins once rotted. Things with seeds either get burnt or are gifted to the council...

Cheers,
Balders

beesrus · « **Reply #4 on:** October 13, 2014, 20:38 »

I put just about all weeds to compost ( I don't have marestail so can't comment on that ).... it's all too valuable to waste. I have a separate "bin" for the nasty perennials, which tends to be mixed with soil and must be properly covered for 2 years. That results in 99% great stuff, with just pulling the odd obvious root still hanging on... no big deal.

I do take a bit more care with nettles as they are horribly invasive, and many of them go to make tea for brassicas. Those that don't and have seeds, I do have a bonfire with on occasion. But not always. As I often mulch the plot with cow or horse manure, being too precious about seeds lurking in compost is a bit pointless. Not only that, there are plenty of the devil's seeds blowing around our site from other plots that aren't looked after. At least weeds resulting from new seeds are easily recognised and pulled up as babies, and nothing like the nightmare of trying to pull the babies resulting from rotovating weeds and spreading roots everywhere, which is THE cardinal sin in my mind.

4 Seasons · « **Reply #5 on:** October 13, 2014, 21:38 »

I remember Monty Don who is the compost expert saying that anything that is organic can be composted. I tend to agree with him and bung everything in it. The only thing I try to do is chop things as small as I can to give the decompostion process less of a task. As an ammendment to the Monty Don principle I avoid putting stuff in the mix that survives the decaying process so that would be really woody stuff and tough stems like raspberry canes and brassica stems. Although these will rot down eventually they tend to cause a mat mix that will give you a hernia when you try to dig out what you need when everything else has rotted. I also avoid couch grass and maybe docks and horseradish because they also survive the decaying process. But it's not critical if you get a bushy head of couch grass or docks or horseradish appearing as glyphosate will send it to weed heaven. (Dons tin hat and runs for it)

Christine · « **Reply #6 on:** October 14, 2014, 19:11 »

Laughs at 4 Seasons. Couch grass roots, dandelion roots and seed heads, dock roots, bindweed, nettles and ivy are the only things that I give a miss out on when composting. I know that I'll regret composting them so don't. Blighted material and bad cases of rust don't get to the compost heap either. Other than that, anything goes unless someone gives me grass clippings which have been sprayed (my mates are good and haven't yet done that to me over many years).

beesrus · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2014, 19:30 »

Couch grass is an interesting weed where composting goes, as it has a lot of bulk.
When dug up in clumps, as we do, it has a huge amount of soil, very small capillary roots and grass growth that can help to make a fantastic compost when covered for long enough. It's only the very few large white snaking roots that are resistant to composting. It really does only take a short time to get rid of these from a big loose compost pile when ready. The other 95% of the grass is converted to good healthy stuff.

Elm street · « **Reply #8 on:** October 14, 2014, 22:17 »

Thanks for all the replies.
I shall put all but the docks/dandelions etc. in and see how it turns out!

Mel.

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What weeds can be composted?

Elm street

What weeds can be composted?

Yorkie

Re: What weeds can be composted?

Annen

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Baldy

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beesrus

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4 Seasons

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Christine

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beesrus

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Elm street

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