[ambodach]

I've always been a bit wary about putting weeds into the compost bin in case it starts to grow.

But I am now clearing an area for a polytunnel.  The ground was machine levelled in the spring and has grown weed grass with a sprinkling of dandelions, thistles and creeping buttercups since then so there is nothing heavyweight - that 'sprinkling' is pretty low level!

The bins are new - wooden framed, 1 metre+ square - and the starter one is currently about 400mm deep.

Can I just dump all the collected material on ?

Rob

[Christine]

Don't put the roots of any of the weeds in your compost bin but the greenery is fine.

[ptarmigan]

I think you have to weigh up the time taken to separate weed roots out from the hassle of having them in the compost bin.  I've got a bit karmic about it and throw everything in - usually find once its rotted down properly it's quite easy to spot long white nasty roots as you are tipping it out and they are fairly easy to remove at that stage. 

So it might be better putting what time you have into clearing the ground and not worrying too much what is going into the compost and sorting it out later when its comparatively easy to do. 

I think that putting say, a weed in that you've dug up that's just gone to seed, so you end up with a hundred plants is probably not going to save any time. That might be better drowned - I have a plastic black bin for that purpose. 

I haven't found any particular increase in weeds since taking this approach - lots of nasturtiums everywhere but they are great for the bees and easy to pick out.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

I tend to put perennial weeds in an old emptied compost bag. Keep the top rolled down and it composts safely over time. I do this with couch roots, dock roots, dandelion etc and after 18 months it's all dead and composty

[jaydig]

I put everything in my compost bays except:

Dandelions, Nettles and Docks - they get thrown into one of the water butts to drown and rot.

Couch and Bindweed  - they get put to one side and burnt, resulting ash from fires added to compost bays.

[icbradley]

I have put all the aforementioned weeds ‘harvested’ this season in a black dalek and they have rotted down.  The material does not look like what went in so is it safe to use?

[JayG]

If it's all rotted, it's all dead, at least as far as being able to re-grow is concerned - just make sure there aren't any really stubborn roots lurking in there that have survived the composting process.