[FatGaz]

I've read / heard somewhere (maybe on here :oops: ) that if I skim off the grass/soil from where I'm gonna dig my beds, then stack the grass/soil and cover it with tarpauline for a year, then next spring I will have a lovely pile of compost?

Has anyone done this?  :?

[GrannieAnnie]

Yeah it does work Gaz, just stack the grass roots upwards

[muntjac]

save time and effort  dig it by trench digging turn the grass upside down in the trench

[FatGaz]

This sounds like might take longer to do than stacking it muntjac, as I've not got the keys to the plot yet (should get them by the weekend) - I need the quickist option really.  

[Jeanieblue]

I like the sound of stacking & covering, but would it work the same with couch infested 'turf' in an neglected allotment?  So far I've dug six small beds and cleared them the hard way- about a quarter of the allotment, which we took over last October. Looked the other day, and they're still relatively weed free.  Can't wait to get growing!   Jean

[WG.]

Stacking and covering gives a few advantages for the extra effort involved.

1. Weed control : If your patch includes perennial weeds, they won't like being stacked.   You can (and should) exclude all light so that even the nasty perennials cannot photosynthesise.  Without light, they will die.  Remember though, that you are likely to be left with some perennial weeds in the cleared ground too.  Keep on top of them with the hoe, and/or choose crops with big top foliage, potato, cabbage, parsnip.

2. Compost bonanza : Actually "loam" rather than compost since it is a cold process.  Stack the material in layers alternately with manure - cow, horse, goat, rabbit but not pig (too high in copper).  Ratios are unimportant but 1:1 is a fair target, more turf is fine.  Chicken, duck or pigeon dung is also okay in small amounts.   You can also dust the layers with gypsum and/or sand (if you have clay), bone meal, wood ash.  When you come to use this loam mixture, it is not weed free - you will get annual weed seedlings.

A third advantage for organic folks is that any eelworm eggs present in the grassy sward, will be concentrated in the stacked heap.  This means that potatoes grown on the cleared ground will have reduced exposure to eelworm

[Liz]

How long do you think it would take to break down if you trench dig the grass please  

[WG.]

How long do you think it would take to break down if you trench dig the grass please  

Hard to say but it won't really matter much to you since you are cropping away on top of it.

Depends on soil, air content, bacteria, roots of what your growing.  A season, maybe two?

[Liz]

Of course WG, sorry about stupid question had a bit of a thick moment  :oops:

[wellingtons]

.. of upside down grass under a layer of mulch ... I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed for compost.

[Trillium]

If you're in a hurry or pressed for space, Gaz, you can always sprinkle an organic accelerator solution between layers. That'll get it cooking quickly. At the season end clearance sales, I buy all the boxes of 100% Organic Compost Accelerator I can find (initially 2-1/2 pounds) for 25 cents (13P your money I believe). Can't tell you what the active ingredient is as it's not listed, which is very unusual for our very strict Canadian labelling laws, but the product line is usually a trustworthy one. As you stack the sod, it wouldn't hurt to spare a few moments to pull out visible couch roots and such. The whole idea of the stacking is essentially to compost, so why not use compost accelerator?  

[WG.]

The whole idea of the stacking is essentially to compost, so why not use compost accelerator?  

This isn't a compost heap, it isn't intended to heat.

Actually "loam" rather than compost since it is a cold process.

If you want a hot compost heap, you'll need to remove nearly all the soil.  :shock:

[WG.]

Of course WG, sorry about stupid question had a bit of a thick moment

Not a problem - hope you come out on top with bumper crops.

[muntjac]

This sounds like might take longer to do than stacking it muntjac, as I've not got the keys to the plot yet (should get them by the weekend) - I need the quickist option really.  

 ok im gonna have to exlain this again i think . ok as you dig your new plot over you digging each spadeful in turn with the grass on the top  you turn the soil in and the grass on top is buried on the bottom of the trench .you dont do any skimming or anything else like stacking it up carrying or anything matey .  the grass dies .you get to rake it level and sow on it soon as your ready .any perrenial weeds roots are sorted as you dig as they like docks and nadelion show up  you just pull them out .? less time taken less labour less money on accelerator and things . as for composting in the stacks it dont do hat good a job of it anyways as there isnt enough compostable material  

[FatGaz]

Thanks for that MJ - my mistake  :oops:  got the wrong end of the stick, as usual  :oops: