Which weeds can I compost?

brownfrog

Lotus-eater, that was a bit uncalled-for. It's up to the OP what she decides to do with the waste - just because someone asks for advice doesn't mean they're duty-bound to act on it. I can completely see why she might not want to keep a dustbin full of stinky leaves - great though it is, it does reek, and with the amount of weeds she's probably going to have to remove, one dustbin probably won't be enough. Nor do I see any reason why she should feel in any way obliged to 'mitigate' her removal of some particularly nasty weeds by urinating on her plot. It's not like she's planning to chuck the stuff into landfill; it'll be composted by the council, and it's only perennial roots and brambles, which won't be robbing the plot of much (and she can always put some of the council compost on it). I've had buttercups, dandelions and brambles root on top of my compost heaps, so I burn them all now. People like EllieP deserve praise for being brave enough to tackle a plot not censure for removing a few weeds.

Lotus-eater

I don't care what she does with it, I was giving my opinion, that's what forums are for. You don't like my advice, ignore it.

brownfrog

You don't have to give it in such an a accusatory manner, though.

Zazen999

Hi Ellie

Firstly, can you expand on the 'grass' - is it couch grass or just normal grass?

If couch grass, personally, I put all the weeds that you describe into black bin bags, and stash them in corners of the lottie. then, after a year or so, I'll use them as mulch in the autumn as they will have rotted down nicely - the advantage of the bags is that it keeps the smell in whilst it rots down.

nettles and if you have any comfrey, make good fertilisers for leaves and fruit respectively. Put them leaves into milk cartons [I use the red ones for comfrey for the fruiting veg, and the green ones for nettles for the leafy plants eg brassicas]......fill the carton as much as you can and top up with water and pop the lid on. Leave for a few weeks, and you can then put the liquid into your watering can water and water the crops. The remaining gunge can go onto the compost heap.

Another alternative is to drown all the weeds that you mentioned, for a few weeks. However it STINKS. Dont try moving it afterwards - so keep it near to the compost heap and just fork it out once it is dead.

elliep_2

Thank you both for your advice. I'm going to go back to my digging and I'll do what I see best with the weeds.

I do not wish to start an argument and will not be replying to this thread if it is just an argument.

Lotus-eater

brownfrog wrote: »

You don't have to give it in such an a accusatory manner, though.

Maybe a little smiley would have helped, there you go.

elliep_2

Zazen, I'm not sure about the grass. I have at least 3 types. 1 I think is normal grass, another sends out really long roots that branch up into a shoot of grass every 10cm or so and the third type has some kind of oat-like seed head on it.

Lotus-eater

Zazen999 wrote: »

Hi Ellie

Firstly, can you expand on the 'grass' - is it couch grass or just normal grass?

If couch grass, personally, I put all the weeds that you describe into black bin bags, and stash them in corners of the lottie. then, after a year or so, I'll use them as mulch in the autumn as they will have rotted down nicely - the advantage of the bags is that it keeps the smell in whilst it rots down.

nettles and if you have any comfrey, make good fertilisers for leaves and fruit respectively. Put them leaves into milk cartons [I use the red ones for comfrey for the fruiting veg, and the green ones for nettles for the leafy plants eg brassicas]......fill the carton as much as you can and top up with water and pop the lid on. Leave for a few weeks, and you can then put the liquid into your watering can water and water the crops. The remaining gunge can go onto the compost heap.

Another alternative is to drown all the weeds that you mentioned, for a few weeks. However it STINKS. Dont try moving it afterwards - so keep it near to the compost heap and just fork it out once it is dead.

A few couch grass roots are a good additive to comfrey liquid feed.

I always find that drowning other weeds apart a few in my comfrey mixture, does smell alot worse, not sure why, maybe there is one weed that really stinks.

Zazen999

elliep wrote: »

Zazen, I'm not sure about the grass. I have at least 3 types. 1 I think is normal grass, another sends out really long roots that branch up into a shoot of grass every 10cm or so and the third type has some kind of oat-like seed head on it.

that's the couch grass, sorry - you seem to have alot of weeds all in all...but it is all part of allotmenteering.

Another idea, which works for us, is to put cardboard or heavy amounts of newspaper down and plant through them. It helps the weeds die back and when you lift it or dig it in, the weeds underneath are white and pale, and are easily dug out.

Zazen999

Lotus-eater wrote: »

A few couch grass roots are a good additive to comfrey liquid feed.

I always find that drowning other weeds apart a few in my comfrey mixture, does smell alot worse, not sure why, maybe there is one weed that really stinks.

We drowned stuff once, mainly by mistake as the huge container had no drainage, and then tried to move it. A little slurped out and MY GOODNESS - it stunk.

So, bin bags for us. Every time.