I`m told that weeds,not nettles,can be added to the compost heap,is that so?
Regards,
Mark.
I generally add almost anything that isn't carrying disease such as blight and really woody items such as sprout stems, anything else is fair game in my book, even nettles.
Just make sure its all well rotted before you spread it on your garden othewise you could be spreading seeds everywhere.
Woppa
You have to be careful with the weeds. Annual ones with no seeds on are fine but tap roots etc are a no go. I usually put them out in the sun to shrivel a bit first but the rest I bag up and bin. Nettles I thought were good for composts.
There are various opinions on this I think.
For my part, I just put everything on. If any weeds manage to regrow, they just get pulled out when I am using the compost. It all seems to die off eventually.
Next year, I will be experimenting with putting down a mulch, rather than putting everything into a compost bin. Any weeds etc will lie on the surface, and so die through lack of moisture (that is the theory anyway).
If you have a spare container, you can put the marestail, dockleaf, dandelion anything with tap roots in the container and top it up with water, cover the container. They will rot down and you can then pour the disgusting smelly liquid on the plot.
I make nettle tea.
Put a bunch of nettles in a large bucket/water butt cover with water and wait for the brew to stew for a few days (smells distgusting). I then add one plastic coffee cup (courtesy of work) full of the brew to each watering can full of water.
PP
Mares/horsetail tea as a foliar feed is supposed to be good for seedlings to help prevent damping off.
Dandelion beer/wine anyone?