Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling

Hi allI came across something on t'internet earlier about the latest buzzword to do with saving the planet. That word is 'biochar'.Basically, it is charcoal, but with the oils and gases captured during production rather than just evaporating away.Here's the general idea from what I gather:...

If you want to be organic then glyphosate is definitely out. There are now concerns that it might leave more residues than they first thought. I have used glyphosate in the past and it is very effective. Its effect on nettles is particularly impressive. Best used as a spray. However I would not...

I went on a Master Composting Course at Ryton Gardens. The compostable bags take 18 months to rot down and the stuff inside does not get access to air, so i would not recommend it for either compost heap or wormery. The trouble with putting them in the recycling bin is that the binmen cannot...

Basically what you have it what we all have, a wasp smörgåsbord! Not only rotting fruity scraps but also all the insects that inhabit the bin. Wasps are great recyclers and unless they are causing problems a best left undisturbed. Just tuck your jeans inside your wellies when you go to tip...

That's the chappie. I'll take my camera and photograph the instructions on the packet next time I'm in town

"including bbq"Presumably only if Briquets used?We have fabby hand-made (for want of a better word) charcoal, which is basically just going to leave wood ask, isn't it?By the by, if you are a BBQ-with-coals fan, rather than a gas-barbie, proper charcoal is a dream compared to the stuff in...

One of the reasons that shiny paper doesn't compost well can be due to the coating used to make it shiny, i.e. the clay - this clay is difficult to break down, which of course it must do before the paper itself can begin to degrade. If the paper is shredded or better still torn, the fibres in...

We've two 'daleks' with well established worm colonies and we take out about two thirds of each 'dalek' every six months.

Thats what I do kev, provided the potato tops were healthy when you pulled them up there's no problem.

Yes, you can. A good mix is green waste (garden waste) and brown waste (kitchen and cardboard). We are lucky having a "green" bin that the council collect so all weeds, grass clippings, dead headed flowers and dead annuals go into it, along with cardboard. But we have a small bin in the kitchen...

Good evening Greg and welcome to the site. By fertilising I assume you mean feeding? If so, now would be a good time. Do you have fruit on the trees?

Given the choice between a compost heap and a juicy veg patch (or your neighbours) they may decide on the veg, they have wings so distance isnt a problem.

can this thread be closed and confirmed as dog poo is a no no on your veg/compost heap pls?pretty distasteful thought:euw:

yea i thought it was drafty

Larkshall; I think thats true, I've heard of one compost manufacturer getting stables to confirm in writing that aminopyralid (the weedkiller) has not been used in any of their manure, hay etc. I reckon they would pass on any compensation claims to the stables, so thats bound to add onto the...

I let them grow every year in the bin, I maybe get a Panfull, But I planted 5 salad tubers this year to see if I get more, an experiment really, there already over the top of the bin, no flowers yet tho..

No , I did,nt sugest that.My gryp is that that the product that I am told to sell to my customers is not only pollutted but inferior. That once a peat bog had been in opened it was already lost its integrity for holding co2 so why not let it serve its useful life time by the cultivation of...

Thanks for the info Peter. It's not that I'm wholly opposed to chemical fertilisers, its just that I'm never sure about how much is going in the soil. I know you can over feed with it. I'm more in favour of 'natural' solutions like rotted manure because I know that you can grow many things in...

I'll try adding some soil into the tumbling composter, but hopefully the rest will ring true for the pile that is at the allotment. Thanks again

"The leaf mould I know is virtually weed free"I think mine would be full of Sycamore "helicopters" :DAny knowledge of commercial sterilizers that I could perhaps hire?