[rideandy]

I turned my compost last night and there was 1000's of ants in there!!!
Is that a good thing?

[peterjf]

brassica stalks need to be breakon down , beat with a hammer along the full length , this helps  the little critters munch easier and the wormscan get in fast to help with the composting process

[compostqueen]

I think ants are ok in the compost as they harvest aphids which has to be a good thing. They usually disappear of their own accord. 

[Rowan]

whats the deal with grass cuttings? if i mix in lots of brown (card, twigs, dried stuff) will it rot down ok?

[dougsta]

whats the deal with grass cuttings? if i mix in lots of brown (card, twigs, dried stuff) will it rot down ok?

yes, no probs

[oldbean]

To deal with perennial weeds, drown them for a month and then onto the compost heap. This also fixes seeds.

[celjaci]

To deal with perennial weeds, drown them for a month and then onto the compost heap. This also fixes seeds.

But don't try with creeping buttercup, will actually grow in ponds

[rideandy]

Are tomatoes ok to go in?
Cheers

[strangerachael]

I turned my compost last night and there was 1000's of ants in there!!!
Is that a good thing?

I had an ants nest in my compost once and they made it beautifully fine and crumbly  by the time I came to use the compost they had all gone.

I've stopped putting fresh egg shells in mine, because they never seem to break down. Instead I've been rinsing them out, leaving them in the oven whenever it's on and crumbling them up for slug deterrent.

One more thing, I have put wire mesh under my bins because I found I was getting unwelcome visitors in them 

[Paul Plots]

To deal with perennial weeds, drown them for a month and then onto the compost heap. This also fixes seeds.

But don't try with creeping buttercup, will actually grow in ponds

This is very true - a clump landed in a bathful of water on my plot - I was aiming at the wheel-barrow but missed! 

It grew wonderfully floating around like an exotic pond plant!! 

[Paul Plots]

Are tomatoes ok to go in?
Cheers

I'd sooner eat them! 

But, if you are talking about used/old plants there should be no problem providing they have not had blight! 

Tomatoes themselves = no problem (free from blight) but you will probably have tomato plants seeded around the place in the spring... easy to pull up if unwanted. 

[rideandy]

I had an ants nest in my compost once and they made it beautifully fine and crumbly  by the time I came to use the compost they had all gone.

I've stopped putting fresh egg shells in mine, because they never seem to break down. Instead I've been rinsing them out, leaving them in the oven whenever it's on and crumbling them up for slug deterrent.

One more thing, I have put wire mesh under my bins because I found I was getting unwelcome visitors in them 
[/quote]

Great thanks.
Loving the slug deterrent.
Unwelcome Visitors???
Cheers

[rideandy]

But, if you are talking about used/old plants there should be no problem providing they have not had blight! 

Tomatoes themselves = no problem (free from blight) but you will probably have tomato plants seeded around the place in the spring... easy to pull up if unwanted. 
[/quote]

Thanks for the advice.

[strangerachael]

unwelcome visitors = rats 

[rideandy]

unwelcome visitors = rats 

Lovely.
Will get some wire mesh pronto
Hate rats,everything else i can deal with but rats   not a chance.
Thanks