Topic: The plot is finally cleared but can i compost this or should i burn it?

[Le-y]

Ok so i decided to post some pics here to help.

Basically front half of the plot was just general weeds and lots of brambles which we've dug out and burned but the back half of the plot was this.....

In September:


In october:


Which i've currently put in a temporary structure here:



 which will be my compost bin but i'm wondering wether this lot is safe to compost or should i burn it?


wanted to ask before i added stuff from home to it

[70fingers]

Not sure....if in doubt burn it  ;D

[betula]

I put weeds into a black bag to rot.These can be added to the compost later.Try not to cut them down at flower/seed producing stage.

Burn what you are not sure of or make a separate heap of that stuff.
You will soon know next year if it not suitable.

I have done this several times,remember to cover it.

[Borlotti]

I would burn it if it is dry and make sure it doesn't disturb the neighbours and that you are allowed, or you will get a right telling off like I did.  I think I ruined her washing, not deliberate, the wind changed direction.

[GRACELAND]

Well I would say in my Years of Gardening

I would unless you can be sure that heap gets hot

BURN it as it will be full of weed seeds

One years seed seven years weed was the saying i was told  ;D

[kippers garden]

My plot was full of couch grass like yours and i put it all in a separeate compost heap full of all sorts of perennial weeds and when it was full i covered it and left it.  That was five years ago and i've now got the most wonderful compost.

Just be careful as others have said if there are loads of weed seeds onthe grass

[angle shades]

 :) I would put it on a separate heap and let it rot,/ shades x

[PurpleHeather]

Your compost heap does not need to be used at the earliest possible oportunity.

You can add to it and add more for, well  years in fact. If things like nettles come through then it is simple enough to dig as much as you can out and burn them but all the time the area is getting to be 'improved soil'

We had a very rough area on our plot when we first got it some 12 years ago. We decided to make this our compost heap and after three years of burying everything on it and adding some manure now and then. It became a seed bed. Then a couple of years ago we wanted to raise it and added a huge ammount of manure to it and, it is now as good as any other part.

Basically I consider there to be too much puritanism with this gardening lark and there are too many jobsworths saying you must do this and you can not do that.

Common sense, learn a bit and then play it by ear. Find out the hard way sometimes because land is never exactly the same in two place, nor are the weather conditions nor a lot of other pertinent issues.

If you are in doubt then burn it but don't burn plastic stuff  and if you are going to use one of those flame throwing gas canister contraptions to start a fire. Make sure that the fire you had yesterday is dead before you leave the gas cannister on the ashes when you go to attend to some other thing you have forgotten.

The chap next door to us on the plots intends to not make the same error again

[Geoff H]

To compost it it would need to be mixed with something green as it looks all dry stuff. I would suspect it has minimal nutrient value and by the time it has decomposed it would rot to hardly anything. Personally I would make a pile of it while it is tinder dry and stick any nettle, dock roots or couch on top and strike a match. It will burn fiercely for seconds with hardly any smoke. Very satisfying and you then have the space it would take up to grow something.

[1066]

and if you are going to use one of those flame throwing gas canister contraptions to start a fire. Make sure that the fire you had yesterday is dead before you leave the gas cannister on the ashes when you go to attend to some other thing you have forgotten.

The chap next door to us on the plots intends to not make the same error again

Nooooooooo
I bet that woke the neighbours  :)

[Psi (Pronounced 'Si'!)]

burn it - looks like couch to me!  You'll be producing so much green waste that i wouldn't be too eager to begin composting immediately.

[Busby]

Until man came along with his needs, nature solved its own problems. It would never have burned anything because the secret that nature keeps and that we have forgotten, is, time.

Just give this stuff time and you'll have your reward.

[Geoff H]

In some parts of the world nature uses fire - natural fires burn off the dead growth of grasses which then renew from the roots. So I disagree that nature does not burn anything. In fact many native South African plants will not germinate unless the seeds are exposed to smoke and Californian Redwoods have thick flakey bark to protect the tree from natural forest fires.
From an environmental point of view smoke pollution will be minimal with a fast, dry fire and the Carbon dioxide given off will be the same as that given off when it eventually decomposes.

[Le-y]

thanks everyone definately a mixed bag of answers there, i intend to compost the garden and kitchen waste from 3 households all on my allotment so i think i'll burn the couch and start over i've still got lots of the roots on the ground where we've attempted to take it all out so i will plonk it on and burn it there in the hops of getting the roots too :)

thanks for the answers