What do I do with roots?

[MattD]

Hi folks,

I've dug up about 2 cu yards of roots today.  Mostly brambles but with some couch grass and grassy tussocks as well.  Some of them are thicker than my thumb.   I've made a huge heap in an as yet uncultivated corner, hoping it will act like a 3 foot deep mulch and kill everything underneath.

However, I need a long term disposal solution.  I don't want to bung them all in the compost heap, because it's too cold to kill anything.  The advice I've been given so far is to burn it, but doing that seems such a waste of potential nutrients and it's not exactly a green approach..

I've noticed in the past that small heaps I've made seem to develop fungi at soil level, which suggests they might be starting to be broken down.  What will happen if I just leave them in a massive heap for a year or so?  Will they eventually rot away leaving behind something useful or will it be a permanent nuclear waste type liability which springs into life again at the slightest sign of damp and warmth?  Are the fungi going to do any harm?

Loads of people must have faced this problem, and I'd love to hear what works.

Matt

[MattD]

[kt.]

Personally, I would do what you have been advised and dry 'em out and burn 'em. I dry and burn all thick root stems usually about three times annually. I have recently put wood shavings from my chicken cree into the compost bin and was told that will take up to a year to decompose.

That has nitrogen and loads of nutrients stuff from hen waste to assist with breakdown. As yours has nothing like that I would think it will take much longer but ain't sure for certain.

[Robert_Brenchley]

They will rot eventually, taking several years to do it. Meanwhile they'll provide a useful habitat, so if you have the space go ahead. Otherwise, burn them and use the ash as fertiliser next year.

[Curryandchips]

If you cover them to exclude light, that should assist in preventing them regrowing ... the pile will reduce in size anyhow with time.

[Merry Tiller]

I bung all my docks & couch in a couple of plastic Daleks, black polly bags would be OK too

[saddad]

I find the daleks tend to blow over MT...
:o

[Merry Tiller]

Oh..... mine don't  ???

[supersprout]

mine did when half empty, and don't when they're full or have a heavy plank across them :)

[kt.]

In the high winds recently, one of my daleks blue up and off the compost, leaving the waste scattered. Lesson learnt to put weight on top! ::)

[cornykev]

I have four full daleks it would take a tornado to blow them over. If you have the space leave it to rot burn the big roots if they don't break down after a year aim for about Nov 5th.  :D :D ;D ;D ;D

[Trixiebelle]

I've got two 'heaps' - one for 'proper' compost and another for weeds like dandies, couch, docks, potato stalks and 'long to rot' wood/sticks etc.

It works if you've got the room ... I'd burn them otherwise but our 'neighbours' are less than tolerant about fires.

[saddad]

I bag up the nasties in old compost sacks, leave under a sheet of corrugated iron, check after a year and again after another if not all rotted.
;D

[Merry Tiller]

Yep, that works for me too ...... except I have corrugated aluminium