Topic: Loam from Turves

[isbister]

I've just acquired a pile of old turves. I've stacked them green side down in a heap 4ft high by 6ft long by 3ft wide and covered it with weed control fabric.
How long this take to rot down you think?
What's the best use for it?
Could I plant something (squash?) in it this year?
All suggestions gratefully received

[triffid]

Weed control fabric is porous, I think, isn't it?
Your earth heap will rot down faster if you can cover it in something waterproof, to keep moisture in -- better still, if it's dark-coloured, as it'll absorb heat.
Make sure the turves are nicely damp, before you cover them.

I had a smaller heap last year, which was usable loam in about four months... but I think the heatwave probably cooked it extra-fast.

I used mine to make a seedbed -- I have heavy clay soil, and the rest of my plot is a long way off being a fine tilth like that. But you could use it for anything that likes fine soil: carrots and parsnips both spring to mind.   

[greenscrump]

You mean like a hot bed ?(at least I think thats what they're called)I was wondering that myself isbister, my heap is a similar size and also covered in weed control fabric....... don't  know how hot it would get though  ???

[isbister]

Thanks for replies. I wasn't specifically thinking of a hotbed but that's a good idea, I'll go down to the plot later and take its temperature. Reading triffid's post I think maybe my heap isn't damp enough - we waited for dry conditions before taking this lawn up (with a motorised turf cutter - brilliant machine btw) and I stacked it without further wetting, I'll keep an eye on it and maybe restack with addition of water.

[Palustris]

We did this a few years back and covered the stack (supposed to be soil to soil then grass to grass by the way), with black plastic. We were rather puzzled by the appearance soon after, of round holes in the plastic. We found out what they were when I watch one of our cats sitting on the plastic, suddenly pounce. He then bit a hole in the cover and dragged out a mouse!
The heap took a fair while to rot down though,but the compost is really useful, except for the usual collection of rubbish we find in our soil.

[sawfish]

Bob Flowerdew was talking about a black plastic bag full of weeds and roots with lime in it and how it could turn into compost in a couple of months.

Anyone tried this?

[Robert_Brenchley]

This is how my turf ended up. It's superb stuff apart from the flushes of weeds it produces.

[norfolklass]

wow!!! so that's what I can look forward to in a year or so's time!
makes all the hard labour worthwhile (have had to move my mountain 3 times now, because obviously I put it where I wanted my shed, didn't I ::))

and presumably the fox/cat/something's wee will help break it all down a bit quicker?!?

[gary]

Dose this work the same as compost the bigger the pile the better, or are several smaller piles better?

Gary

[Normie]

I've just acquired a pile of old turves. I've stacked them green side down in a heap 4ft high by 6ft long by 3ft wide and covered it with weed control fabric.
How long this take to rot down you think?
What's the best use for it?
Could I plant something (squash?) in it this year?
All suggestions gratefully received

I've done the same thing except I built my to have a hollow centre - bit like a rectangular wall. Filled the centre with manure and compost. I intend to grow some squash/courgette/pumpkins in it. Mine were built as the result of clearing the top couple of inches of turf off an old unsed allotment - must have about 4 of these beds built, each measuring about 6 ft long, 3ft wide, 2ft tall.

[Robert_Brenchley]

One big pile is more convenient, but I don't think the size really makes any difference otherwise. Just pile it up, cover it for a year, and use it.

[isbister]

Right I now see that as usual I've done it all wrong - I@m going to restack my turf pile green to green then brown to brown, in a walled box shape, wetting as I go and then fill the centre with compost ready for a Northern Bush pumpkin. Thanks for the tips.