[JohnB47]

Just wondered - do people worry about putting seed heads along with stuff they put on the compost heap?

I recently 'harvested' a load of over wintering green manure stalks, many of which had gone to seed, because I'd left it a bit late and I didn't want to dig them in (I've turned the roots over though). But now I've put these stalks (which include poppies) plus seeds on the heap and I'm thinking that maybe that's a bad idea.

Do people worry about this or are there so many seeds already likely to be on the plot that a few more in the compost is insignificant.

Cheers all.

[JayG]

In theory, a well-constructed compost heap should heat up enough to kill weed seeds.

In practice, (or at least in my experience) ha ha bloomin' ha!   

(Good job I'm rather fond of hoeing!) 

[arugula]

I wouldn't worry too much (apart from with certain weed seeds) as there is plenty heat generated in the compost to "cook" most seeds.

[Benandbill]

I was wondering about something similar.  You know that long grass that has seeds on the end?  Well I tend to cut the grass around the edge of our plot by hand and just add it to the compost heap where it goes nice and dry and turns to straw.  I've been avoiding putting the seedy grass in as I don't want grass growing in my heap.  Am I just being plain silly here?

[lazydog]

In theory, a well-constructed compost heap should heat up enough to kill weed seeds.

In practice, (or at least in my experience) ha ha bloomin' ha!   

(Good job I'm rather fond of hoeing!) 

last year i dumped a few tiny green tomatoes guess what i think every seed has germinated in the spud patch doing well

[JohnB47]

I was wondering about something similar.  You know that long grass that has seeds on the end?  Well I tend to cut the grass around the edge of our plot by hand and just add it to the compost heap where it goes nice and dry and turns to straw.  I've been avoiding putting the seedy grass in as I don't want grass growing in my heap.  Am I just being plain silly here?

Exactly what I do too - I've just put some seedy grass stuff on the pile.