Topic: Compost question

[tonyveggie]

Hello all

I'm just about to begin a compost heap on my new plot and have a question about how to position it. The plot is small and enclosed by a fence and there weeds covering the ground. Nothing too nasty as far as I can tell - well, fairly sure there's no bindweed or couch grass, just a bit overgrown from a year's neglect.

My question is this: if I dig all the weeds out in the place where I want to put the composter (a basic black plastic bin jobbie with lid on top and a flap for removing the good stuff) will the weeds just spread back and get in under the composter?

I'm not planning on be planting anything yet (got some 6'x4' boxes in which I'm trying onion sets, garlic and winter cabbage) and was toying with digging it all over trying green manure or possibly doing the lazy sod / lasagna thing, so here's a second question: is it possible to do both? In other words, lay down newspaper and compost and then sow the green manure crops in that. I'm going to use winter field beans and/or rye grass. Would I need to make the compost layer above the newspaper very deep?

Any thoughts welcome, and thanks in advance!  :)

[katynewbie]

 ;D

Hi Tony, well done on getting priorities right, ie: compost first!

Answers? Well, in my opinion (others will be along shortly) if you give the area for the bin a cursory weeding it should be ok. The fact that a bin full of black gold is above it will stop any further growth.

Second question: If you are doing the lasagne thing, why sow green manure into it? Maybe I misunderstood, but seems to me that one or the other is ok.

Enjoy whatever you do!

 ;)

[STHLMgreen]

One thing to think about when putting the compost bin on your plot is the amount of sun that area gets. You might want your compost in partial shade to help with keeping it moist in summer.  Just a thought.

We've had our allotment only a couple of months now. We have the massive compost bin up but are using a lot of what we would put in it to put on top of the lasange garden we're trying over two beds.

Enjoy the allotment!

[supersprout]

The fact that a bin full of black gold is above it will stop any further growth.

agree, I wouldn't bother weeding :o
unless the compost is very woody, I throw it straight on the garden where it suppresses the weeds just fine. It looks disgusting, so I cover it with a layer of straw ;D