Topic: Dodgy compost

[Tee Gee]

Now I am lucky enough to have access to large quantities of cow manure

Don't want to scaremonger but from my experience this type of manure is highly prone to containing aminopropylid. Farmers tend to use this weed killer on grazing land to kill broad leaf plants as it is safe for grazing animals. The problem arises when the animals excrete the faeces,I.e. The stuff you might be using!

By law farmers are supposed to tell any third parties he has used the weedkiller on his land before he may pass the manure on!

For peace of mind it you might be best advised to ask him the question " has he or has he not used aminopyralid weedkiller on his grazing land"?

[Borderers1951]

Now I am lucky enough to have access to large quantities of cow manure

Don't want to scaremonger but from my experience this type of manure is highly prone to containing aminopropylid. Farmers tend to use this weed killer on grazing land to kill broad leaf plants as it is safe for grazing animals. The problem arises when the animals excrete the faeces,I.e. The stuff you might be using!

By law farmers are supposed to tell any third parties he has used the weedkiller on his land before he may pass the manure on!

For peace of mind it you might be best advised to ask him the question " has he or has he not used aminopyralid weedkiller on his grazing land"?

No problems there.  I was put onto the muck supply by a neighbour who's been using it for years without any adverse effect.

[pumkinlover]

BN- Do you mean how do I get enough raw materials or how do I actually make enough. The former is easy as I have so many compost bins, the later is a bit more of a problem because I only sterilise  a small quantity at the time.  This year was an experiment and I didn't know if it would work but so far so good.

[BarriedaleNick]

Basically how do you get enough raw materials!
I make great big manure heaps over winter but they are for adding to the plot, earthing up, conditioning the clay soil.  I add leaves and hops and then use it as a mulch.
All the home stuff - veg peelings, weeds and the like goes into two big bins.  I still have to buy 100s liters of compost!

[George the Pigman]

In terms of compost quality and safety I tend to stick to certain brands that have given me good results over the last year or two. They are not necessarily some of the big name brands and include a local garden centre chain own brand.
If buy it from a garden centre that actually grows its own plants I ask them what compost they use and , if I can, buy that brand.

[Beersmith]

I'm still struggling to work out where it is all going wrong.

Given the correct approach almost any organic matter can be composted. With enough heat and active bacteria it can be reduced to an inert sweet smelling product. Bones, meat, horse, cattle and sheep manure, food and vegetable waste of all kinds both cooked and raw.

On the Lottie few of us can compost with that level of efficiency. Instead we have time. My compost heaps based on nothing other than a mix of vegetable and brown waste smell pretty dreadful when "fresh".  But as we all know they will in time produce a sweet crumbly compost.

Clearly we don't need contamination with plastics, wire, rubble and other detritus but there is absolutely no need for the products we buy to be rancid. Even starting with the most unpromising materials compost should not be sold until reduced to a pleasant and safe meterial.

Perhaps the issue is TIME.  If the processors will not allow long enough for a proper composting process, the time available for herbicides like Aminopyralid to break down is also reduced.

Maybe if we had a complete boycott for one month someone might pay attention!

[Tee Gee]

Perhaps the issue is TIME.  If the processors will not allow long enough for a proper composting process, the time available for herbicides like Aminopyralid to break down is also reduced.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that from someone throwing stuff in the council skips to buying a bag of the recycled compost made from it is "6week"

OK they have a bl**dy big pile of material to handle meaning it will heat up much faster than my little daleks. Add to that they have excavators to regularly turn it over, so yes! They have the facilities to make it compost faster than we can but six weeks!!! If that is true it is no wonder we are getting "dodgy compost"

[ACE]

There is a certification process for composted waste, I think the certificate just states that it is no longer waste and does not need to be charged as such for disposal. I doubt that the 'compost' is tested for viability.  this is the scheme http://www.qualitycompost.org.uk/  I do not know if it is compulsory  and even if it is I expect only a select sample is sent for testing. Contractors handle waste now and it is big business usually tendered for. As with every other service that is contracted out corners are cut to make it pay. Since councils and services have had to put out their work for tender, stocks and shares in producing brown envelopes  have risen sharply.

[pumkinlover]

Six rabbits produce a good supply of brown stuff for the compost, but over the years I have taken other people's grass clippings and had waste from a greengrocer as well as stuff from keeping communal areas I kept tidy when I was secretary.

[ACE]

Big letter from the House of Commons filled with pamphlets and bumph. What it all boils down to  it is our own fault. On herbicides 'It is Illegal not to follow the instructions on the label' Which first cutting should be left on the lawn the next 3 cuttings should be well composted for at least 9 months, Do not dispose of the grass cuttings via council composting schemes. Who ever is going to police that.  It is interesting to note that the RHS has not found that herbicide in composted materials to be a problem, but I expect that comes from their members that home compost properly.