Topic: Weeds

[caroline7758]

I have been attempting to drown weeds lifted from my plot in a large water butt with a lid. As I was adding more waterv yesterday and pushing the weeds down I suddenly heard a gushing sound- it had split at the bottom! I saved as much of the liquid as i could, but I'm wondering, should I just leave the weeds in the bin to rot down, or would that be asking for trouble as any resulting compost would be full of weed seeds? Any other ideas? Is it really best just to take weeds to the tip?

[johhnyco15]

it takes a long time to drown weeds like couch grass and bindweed personally id just use comfrey for toms  and nettles for nitrogen  feeds and yes take the rest to the tip

[pumkinlover]

I do drown them. It gives me a sense of satisfaction to see them suffer.

[gray1720]

As an experiment, I once composted bindweed and couch in bags of  fresh (and I mean eye-wateringly fresh) chicken manure. Seemed to work and I too derived great joy from thinking of the funking barstewards suffering! Might try it again if I ever get any more chicken muck.

Adrian

[caroline7758]

I guess if i take them to the tip they should get killed off in the waste process , although not as satisfying as killing them myself! As I've recently found I can get free green waste compost from a neighbouring local authority (ours goes to local farmers) maybe I can call it a swap. 

[ancellsfarmer]

For your purpose, get a large, thick gauge polythene sack and place inside the butt.This will hold water. You only have to submerge them, not provide a diving pool! In fact, if you fill such a sack with plant material and tie the neck with binder twine, the thing will heat up and "stew" the contents.After a couple of weeks most will be compostable, albeit fairly rank. Black sacks are best(Old compost sacks turned inside out?)

[Bill Door]

NOOOOOOOOO!

not the tip.

Place in a plastic bag with a bit of garden lime (just a sprinkle, if you know what I mean) and tie the bag up like ancellsfarmer has said.  Leave until next spring and then either pour into the bottom of the bean trench or add to the compost.

I always try to bag all the weeds first, then compost, even if it is only for a month or two.

Bill

As they say don't get mad get even

[Fork]

I have been attempting to drown weeds lifted from my plot in a large water butt with a lid. As I was adding more waterv yesterday and pushing the weeds down I suddenly heard a gushing sound- it had split at the bottom! I saved as much of the liquid as i could, but I'm wondering, should I just leave the weeds in the bin to rot down, or would that be asking for trouble as any resulting compost would be full of weed seeds? Any other ideas? Is it really best just to take weeds to the tip?

Pity you live so far away....I couild have given you a new barrel for your water.

[cornykev]

I put mine in a large plastic sack put it in the corner and forget about it for a year or so.   

[Robert_Brenchley]

I compost everything. Nothing green ever leaves the plot.

[caroline7758]

I do have a lot of old compost bags (albeit with holes nibbled by mice or worse) , so maybe I'll give it a go. Having siad that, I am yet to believe that anything can kill bindweed, buttercup and couch!

[ancellsfarmer]

I do have a lot of old compost bags (albeit with holes nibbled by mice or worse) , so maybe I'll give it a go. Having siad that, I am yet to believe that anything can kill bindweed, buttercup and couch!

Be upbeat! They are not immortal! They cannot survive without sunlight. Seal them up without a glimmer and play the waiting game.....if one bag is perforated, use another. Another favorite torture is the RACK.
Stretch a piece of 1" wire netting across two poles and cast the extracted weeds upon it, set above the ground in clear space. Just watch as they wilt,dry, shrivel, dessicate, and become listless. Prod them with sticks, flick them about, expose all parts to relentless midday sun, gusting wind and when you feel better, gather them up and compost them.(Try to pick off any seeding heads first- and invent a recipe for them....

[jimc]

My two rhizomatous weeds are couch and kikuyu.
I sometimes put them in the worm farm but usually in the compost heap in the chook pen. The chooks keep it stirred up for weeks before it finally gets buried and any little shoots that show up are eaten quickly.
I would dig out the compost after it gets to be 12 months old. My compost is cleaned, scratched, turned over and over, fertilised and heated up and cooled down before use and plants love it.

[caroline7758]

Sounds like I need some chooks!

[johhnyco15]

ive been hoeing all day today rain and sun weed heaven